Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has announced some of the most exciting news in aviation! Say Bonjour, as the flag carrier is set to start flying its flagship A380s to Paris, France.

Etihad A380s will Return to Paris (CDG) in November of 2024

Starting November 1, 2024, Etihad will fly the Airbus A380 to Paris Charles de Gaulle International Airport once a day. The airline previously flew its A380s to Paris in the last decade before the Covid-19 pandemic hit. At the start of Covid, Etihad retired its A380 fleet under the former CEO, Tony Douglas. Douglas explained that the A380 is not fuel efficient and is costly to operate compared to modern twin jets, such as the A350 or 787.

However, Etihad has had a change of heart and brought the A380s back into service in the summer of 2023. When the airline started flying the super jumbo between Abu Dhabi and London Heathrow in 2023, there weren’t any set plans to return it to destinations it had previously served, such as New York, Sydney, or Paris. In April of this year, Etihad started flying the A380s to New York once a day.

Between Abu Dhabi and Paris, Etihad currently flies the Airbus A350-1000, which is much smaller compared to the A380. The A380 features more than 100 seats compared to the A350, which will increase the airline’s demand on the route, as there are more seats to sell on an A380 than on an A350. Flight EY31 will depart AUH daily at 2:40AM and is scheduled to arrive at Paris CDG around 7:40AM. Almost two hours later, at 9:45AM, flight EY32 will depart CDG at 9:45AM to arrive at Zayed International Airport AUH around 7:25PM.

The Significance of the Etihad A380 for Travelers

Etihad’s A380s are some of the most luxurious aircraft flying today, with First Class Apartments and the 3-room Residence, the only experience in commercial aviation a step-up from First Class. Before the Covid pandemic, the Etihad Residence would cost more than $10,000 one-way. However, Etihad now offers upgrades from First Class to the Residence for $2,500 from AUH to LHR or CDG and for $4,500 from AUH to JFK.

With the A380s making a reappearance in the French capital, Etihad will sell First Class on this route. The First Class Apartments are arranged in a 1-1 configuration across a single aisle, while Business is set up in a 1-2-1 configuration. Etihad has more A380 Economy Class seats than Economy and Business seats on the A350, which will generate more revenue towards the airline. Etihad’s A350s feature 44 Business Class suites, while the A380s feature 70 Business Studios, which will generate more money on the same six to seven hour route. The A380 gives passengers a lot to look forward to. Even in Economy Class, the A380’s large, spacious interior makes long haul travel more enjoyable.

Conclusion

Etihad will start flying their A380s to CDG this November, making Paris the third destination post Covid for Etihad’s A380s. I hope this route does well, and that Etihad returns the A380 to more destinations it used to fly to, such as Sydney Kingsford Smith or Seoul Incheon. At one point, Etihad’s former CEO, Tony Douglas, claimed that the A380 wouldn’t fly any longer because an A350 or 787 could operate that same route more times. When Etihad returned the A380 to London Heathrow, all of us thought it wouldn’t return to destinations such as JFK, ICN, or CDG. I’m more than happy to see this exotic jet return to the Parisian skies!