This season, Etihad’s newest aircraft type, which has 371 seats and two classes, is traveling quite a distance.
Despite being three to four years old, Etihad’s Airbus A350-1000s only started flying in March 2022, a year ago. The aircraft were placed in long-term storage before being delivered to the Abu Dhabi-based airline in order to wait out the epidemic and the travel restrictions that prevented the type from entering service. We investigate the locations where Etihad is currently stationing its A350s after just over a year of operation.
three continents, seven locations
According to FlightRadar24.com’s flight schedule information, it appears that Etihad is deploying its A350s to seven locations worldwide. Two locations in North America, two in Europe, two in India, and one in Southeast Asia will all receive service from the aircraft as a result. These cities are reachable by air from the airline’s hub in Abu Dhabi:
O’Hare (ORD) in Chicago
John F. Kennedy (JFK) in New York
Dublin (DUB) International
LHR, or London Heathrow
Indira Gandhi International (DEL) in Delhi
Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi (BKK) and Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International (BOM) are the final two airports.
The EY150/151 service to/from Chicago O’Hare is the longest of these. The average travel time for EY151 from Abu Dhabi to Chicago is 14 hours, while the average flight time from Abu Dhabi to Chicago is 12 hours and 55 minutes, according to FlightRadar24.com. The return service, EY203, typically lasts two hours and 48 minutes, whereas aircraft EY204 to Mumbai often takes approximately two hours and 28 minutes.
A350 service is not guaranteed for all locations.
Etihad employs the A350 entirely on some itineraries, at least during the first week of May, while combining it with other aircraft types on other routes.
You can bet on boarding the A350-1000 for the airline’s once-daily service to Chicago O’Hare and its late-night services to London and Delhi. You’ll need to pay more attention to plane timetables for all other locations, though.The Boeing 787-9 predominantly dominates Etihad’s two daily routes to New York JFK. You are far more likely to witness the Boeing 787-10 on the airline’s once daily flight to Dublin.
In India, an A350 might fly the early-morning flight to Delhi, but a 787-9 or -10 is much more likely. You’ll see a 787-9 or -10 early in the morning and an Airbus A320 in the evening for Mumbai’s three daily services. You might see the A350 on this late-night trip, but your chances of boarding a Dreamliner are marginally better.
Finally, depending on the day, you may board a Boeing 777-300ER, a Boeing 787-9, a Boeing 787-10, or an Airbus A350-1000 for the daily trip to Bangkok.
The two classes on Etihad’s five Airbus A350-1000s are business and economy. There are 371 seats in total, with 44 in business class and another 327 in economy.
