With advances in aviation technology, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Airbus A350-1000 aircraft have higher fuel efficiency, lower cabin pressurization, more comfortable cabin lighting and cabin humidity.
Etihad Airways has discontinued airbus A380 operations, although it can offer a three-room suite, flight butler, champagne and caviar, and ticket prices are as high as $20,000. And by the end of the year, Etihad will also stop the Boeing 777 fleet.
Etihad CEO Tony Douglas said at the World Air Festival that Etihad Airways wants to return to profitability in 2023, so they will choose to discontinue the Boeing 777-300ER fleet and the new airliner Boeing 787 and Airbus A350-1000XWB.
As of April 2021, Etihad Airways has a fleet size of 93 aircraft, including 39 Boeing 787s, with an average age of 3.3 years (9 787-10s and 28 787-9s). The range of the two aircraft is roughly equivalent to that of the Boeing 777-300ER. However, the 777-300ER has a larger capacity of passengers, and it can provide 60 more seats than the 787.
In 2014, Etihad Airways introduced the Boeing 787 for the first time. During the pandemic, the 787 played an important role in Etihad Airways. Over the past few months, several of Etihad's intercontinental routes, including New York, Chicago, Tokyo and Seoul, have been able to operate on the 787. They replace the A380 and Boeing 777 fleets well.
Etihad Airways also received five Airbus A350-1000XWB aircraft before the pandemic, the largest of the A350s, and its capacity was roughly equivalent to that of the 777-300ER. New models from Boeing and Airbus improve fuel efficiency and help airlines save significant costs while providing passengers with a more comfortable cabin environment.
Douglas publicly stated in March that they had already sealed the Airbus A380 and would never see them fly again. Among the three major local airlines in the Middle East, Etihad has always been known for its luxurious suites on the A380 and has attracted a large number of high-end travelers. Qatar and Emirates have also purchased a large number of super wide-body aircraft, but now they face the same problems.
For high-end travelers, the grounding of the A380 means the disappearance of super luxury cabins. Etihad's flagship product is the 3-room deluxe suite, which costs up to $20,000, and they also offer guests butler, premium champagne and expensive caviar services.
Since the pandemic began, the A380 has gone from being a money-making tool for airlines to a burden. News of Etihad's decision to ground the A380 is not surprising. In May 2020, Air France retired the A380 fleet, and Lufthansa, British Airways and Qantas stopped flying the A380.
Some large international airlines are also constantly allocating 777-300ER aircraft routes. American Airlines moved the majority of its Boeing 777-300ER fleet to hub airports such as Miami, Dallas, New York and Los Angeles.
The Boeing 777 is in a better position than the Airbus A380, and the Boeing 777 also has cargo aircraft, and air cargo is the only bright spot in the air transport industry. For example, Israel Aerospace Industries is planning to convert the first 777-300ER from a passenger aircraft to a cargo aircraft, which will also become the world's largest dual-shipping aircraft.
In contrast, the Airbus A380 during the pandemic was like a dinosaur in the late Cretaceous era. In normal years, the A380 can bring an excess premium to Etihad. In 2016, a blogger took the UAE route from Abu Dhabi to Sydney, Australia, with a ticket price of $23,000.
Emirates has the largest A380 fleet, while Etihad has the most luxurious A380 fleet. Etihad uses Abu Dhabi as a hub airport for flights to London, New York, Sydney, Paris and Seoul.
Qatar Airways has phased out half of its A380 aircraft, which operates mainly routes to Europe and asia pacific. Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways have both used Boeing 787s to fly the previous A380 route.
Airbus has also become the "hardest hit area" under the influence of the epidemic. Boeing was no better, with Virgin Atlantic, British Airways and KLM grounding Boeing 747s.
Emirates, which has placed heavy bets on the A380, continues to insist, with Emirates having 117 Airbus A380 aircraft. ITS CEO, Sir Tim Clark, said that although heathrow airport, Hong Kong airport and other major hub airports in the world are restricted, the A380 still has an irreplaceable role, after all, it can carry more than 500 passengers.
Etihad Airways parked an Airbus A380 aircraft in Teruel, Spain
Emirates is now also flying daily routes between Dubai International Airport and Frankfurt, Germany. And by Easter, Emirates is expected to use the A380 to fly to Munich International Airport.