Etihad A380 returns: Onboard the airline's first superjumbo flight since Covid-19 pandemic

Etihad’s A380 superjumbos are finally back in the air, 40 months since the airline grounded the world's largest passenger plane due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Flight number EY11 departed Abu Dhabi International Airport a little after 2am on Tuesday morning, bound for Heathrow Airport, London. It landed in the UK capital just before 7am, local time.

The aircraft is the first double-decker A380 to operate a commercial flight for the national airline of the UAE since March 2020.

It marks the return of Abu Dhabi to London services on the popular Etihad superjumbo, which is the only route that the airline currently plans to operate via the double-decker jet.

"We're excited to once again welcome guests onboard Etihad's A380s," said Antonoaldo Neves, chief executive of Etihad Airways.

"The aircraft adds much-needed capacity connecting Abu Dhabi with London Heathrow and allows us to build our network and increase frequencies across the network," he added.

Onboard Etihad’s A380 flight to London
Travellers flying on Tuesday morning’s celebratory flight were given chocolates and A380-themed souvenirs to celebrate the jet’s return to service.

The flight, which was fully booked, took off on time and it was a smooth journey, with very little turbulence throughout. Passengers were served Mission: Impossible-themed dinner and breakfast, as Etihad is the official partner airline for the Tom Cruise film franchise. A passenger favourite, Etihad’s superjumbos are loved for their service and luxury offerings, including The Residence – the only three-room apartment in the sky – and The Lobby, a service lounge and bar area for premium passengers.

With seating for 484 passengers, the A380 jet has three cabin classes including nine first-class apartments, 70 business studios and 337 economy smart seats, including 68 economy space seats.

Ultra-luxury travellers seeking privacy in the sky are also now able to book seats in Etihad’s The Residence on flights between Abu Dhabi and London Heathrow, marking another first since the Covid-19 pandemic. Up to two passengers can fly in the luxury apartment, with access to a living room, separate bedroom and an ensuite shower room. It's only bookable by purchasing a first class ticket, and then upgrading with rates starting from $2,500 per person, one-way.

The first double-decker jet to have returned to service will be joined by three sister A380 aircraft. The airline has three of four planned double-deckers back in Abu Dhabi, in preparation for the jet’s return to service. The fourth A380 is currently in China and will resume flying with the airline in November.

The return of the world's largest passenger plane
Etihad grounded its A380 jets in March 2020 after UAE authorities suspended all commercial air traffic for an initial period of two weeks to help prevent the spread of Covid-19 via air travel.

As global traffic for travel diminished during the pandemic, the airline's double-decker jets remained flightless until Tuesday.

Dubai-London is arguably Etihad’s most lucrative and popular route. Given the competition for available slots at London’s airports and the insatiable demand for travel in a post-pandemic world, the double-decker aircraft is ideally suited to operating on the route.

Other airlines have also resumed A380 flights, including Dubai’s Emirates, the A380’s largest customer, which now operates the superjumbo to 43 destinations around the world, including to London, Morocco, Glasgow and New York.

Qatar, Singapore Airlines, British Airways and All Nippon Airways are among some of the other global airlines that relaunched superjumbo flights.

The beginning of the end for the A380?
The Covid-19 pandemic raised doubt over the future of the industry's Airbus superjumbos following a drop in travel demand and following the aircraft manufacturer's announcement of its final production of the passenger plane.

Now back in the air in several destinations around the world, the jet's return is unlikely to be a lengthy one.

Despite an ongoing $2 billion programme to retrofit more than 100 of its Airbus A380 jets and Boeing 777s, Emirates is planning the superjumbo’s exit. The Dubai airline’s president Tim Clark said last month that he expects to retire the airline’s superjumbo fleet in 2032.

“We are looking at plan that take us through the 2030s,” Clark told The National.

Qantas will also retire the jet over the next decade, as the Australian airline replaces the superjumbo with the A350, its flagship airline for Project Sunrise flights, which will operate the longest routes in the world.

Qatar Airways also has plans to to retire the superjumbo once its new A350 jets are delivered. The Gulf carrier brought eight of its 10 double-deckers back into service following the grounding of the jets during the pandemic.