In late 2023, Etihad and Air France-KLM expanded their partnership, which included Air France launching flights to Abu Dhabi. Air France recently revealed it would cut its Abu Dhabi route, just a year after it launched. There’s now an interesting update, as Etihad is increasing service in the market.
In this post:
Etihad introduces double daily Paris flights
Etihad has announced that it will introduce double daily flights to Paris as of January 15, 2025, just over two months after Air France discontinues its flights. Etihad’s service increases to Paris over the coming months are significant:
- Currently Etihad flies once daily to Paris, using an Airbus A350-1000
- As of November 1, 2024, Etihad will upgrade this route to an Airbus A380
- As of January 15, 2025, Etihad will add a second daily flight using a Boeing 787-9
To do some rough math, Etihad is going from offering 371 seats per day in the market, to offering 732 seats (497 on the A380, and 235 on the 787-9).
For context, Etihad’s Airbus A380 will operate with the following schedule:
EY31 Abu Dhabi to Paris departing 2:40AM arriving 7:30AM
EY32 Paris to Abu Dhabi departing 9:45AM arriving 7:25PM
Meanwhile Etihad’s Boeing 787-9 frequency will operate with the following schedule:
EY33 Abu Dhabi to Paris departing 2:20PM arriving 7:10PM
EY34 Paris to Abu Dhabi departing 8:45PM arriving 6:25AM (+1 day)
As you can see, the schedule is nicely spaced out, so that you can have a daytime or nighttime journey in either direction, and this also maximizes connectivity beyond Abu Dhabi, since most travelers on Gulf airlines connect beyond the hub.
My take on Etihad expanding Paris flights
I have a few thoughts on this service expansion.
First of all, I’m impressed by the speed at which Etihad is adding new service, following Air France cutting flights in the same market. Etihad’s current management team definitely moves fast.
Second of all, I find it interesting how Etihad will use a three-cabin Boeing 787-9 for the Paris route, featuring first class. Etihad has only five 787-9s with first class, and I can’t quite figure out where that jet is coming from. Etihad currently flies 787-9s with first class to New York (JFK), Geneva (GVA), and London (LHR), and I don’t (yet) see any service reductions in those markets after January 15.
Lastly, I’m still curious what happens to the Air France-KLM and Etihad partnership. When it was expanded last year, it seemed like the intention was to make it a much closer partnership, and to essentially have Air France route many passengers through Abu Dhabi, for destinations Air France doesn’t serve directly.
With Air France no longer flying to Abu Dhabi, it seems like there’s limited upside for Air France here, aside from maybe some passengers connecting from Etihad to regional services in Paris. I’m curious how this partnership evolves — will the airlines maintain a casual partnership that doesn’t have all that much upside for Air France, or will it wind down?
Bottom line
Etihad Airways is increasing its service between Abu Dhabi and Paris, as Air France is cutting its service in the market. As of January 2025, Etihad will operate twice daily flights between the cities, with one flight operated by an A380, and one flight operated by a 787. I’m not surprised to see Etihad boosting flights to Paris, though I wonder what happens to the Air France-KLM partnership.
What do you make of Etihad adding double daily Paris flights?
AF partners with EY so it’s more economical for the latter to use their own metal.
Etihad didnt have the aircraft at the time to offer two flights a day to Paris, so paid Air France to fly what was essentially a second Etihad flight. Qatar did the same thing with American for the JFK- DOH flight, and is doing the same thing now with American for PHL-DOH.
This has been the same thing, and they'll likely continue to have some sort of code sharing, etc with Air France.
You can get Qatar'd and end up on a American longhaul business? Ufff
no. It's been very clear. the Doha-Philadelphia flight is now an AA flight. It doesnt switch between QR and AA. It's just AA. But QR pays AA to operate on their behalf.
Same to when AA flew from JFK to DOH. QR wanted to operate a third flight but didnt have enough airplanes. so it paid AA to operate a flight. It was very clear who flew what.
Qatar does this with a...
no. It's been very clear. the Doha-Philadelphia flight is now an AA flight. It doesnt switch between QR and AA. It's just AA. But QR pays AA to operate on their behalf.
Same to when AA flew from JFK to DOH. QR wanted to operate a third flight but didnt have enough airplanes. so it paid AA to operate a flight. It was very clear who flew what.
Qatar does this with a few other airlines on other routes. For example it pays Malaysia Airlines to operate the fligth from Doha to/ from Kuala Lumpur. Pays Finnair to operate certain flights between Doha and some Nordic destinations.
Except that that would be highly illegal.
QR and AA have not been granted anti-trust immunity, and thus QR cannot "pay AA to operate a flight."
(outside of a wet-lease agreement, which they also haven't entered into)
They might be pulling the F-equipped 787 from Casablanca, Morocco
Agreed!
It sometimes fly to Johannesburg and Hyderabad