Etihad adds second A380 to daily New York services

'Phenomenal' response from passengers using existing superjumbo spurs airline to replace Boeing 777 on second daily flight to the Big Apple.

Etihad now operates its twice daily flights to New York using only A380s. Courtesy Etihad

Etihad Airways has responded to the huge appeal of its A380 services and today introduced its flagship Airbus A380 jetliner on its second daily flights between the UAE capital and New York JFK.

All 14 weekly flights between the two cities are now operated by the double-decker aircraft, the world’s largest passenger plane.

The superjumbo has replaced a three-class Boeing 777-300ER previously operating one of the airline’s twice daily flights. The new deployment means New York will join London and Sydney as an all-A380 operation.

The most highly customised cabin interior ever designed, Etihad’s A380 carries 496 guests in a four-class configuration: The Residence; First Apartments (First Class); Business Studios (Business Class); and Economy Smart Seats (Economy Class).

“The response we have received from our guests travelling between Abu Dhabi and New York since we first launched the A380 service two years ago has been phenomenal. We are delighted to further expand our world-leading product to all guests flying to and from the Big Apple,” said Peter Baumgartner, the Etihad chief executive.

“By introducing the A380 on the second daily service, we can ensure that every flight delivers the acclaimed service and hospitality, innovative products and technology for which we have become known the world over.”

Guests flying on all Etihad Airways flights from Abu Dhabi to the airline’s six US ports of entry – New York JFK Airport, Washington DC, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles and San Francisco – are processed through the US customs and border protection (CBP)preclearance facility available at Abu Dhabi International Airport, which means they pass through all US immigration and customs checks in Abu Dhabi and arrive at their US destination as domestic passengers. The airline also operates a dedicated Premium Lounge within the CBP facility.

In December 2015, the airline opened a state-of-the art Premium Lounge at New York JFK, marking a significant investment in further improving the ground experience for the airline’s guests.

Etihad launched daily nonstop flights to New York JFK in October 2006, and introduced a second daily service in March 2014. It subsequently upgraded one of the daily flights to an A380 aircraft in November 2015.

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