Etihad doubles Sydney flights as UAE airline expands global network

Abu Dhabi: Etihad Airways will increase flights between Abu Dhabi and Sydney to two a day from December 15, adding more than 5,000 seats a week in each direction as the UAE airline continues to expand its network.

The additional flights will operate daily on Etihad’s Airbus A350-1000, giving travellers two departure options every day during the Australian summer holiday period.

Etihad has served Sydney since 2007. Its Australian network also includes a daily Abu Dhabi-Melbourne service operated by a Boeing 787.

More flights

The extra Sydney service gives passengers travelling from the UAE and across Etihad’s network more flexibility when connecting to Australia.

For Australian travellers, the additional flight also provides more options to connect through Abu Dhabi to destinations across the Middle East, Europe, Africa and the Indian subcontinent.

Arik De, Etihad’s chief revenue and commercial officer, said the additional service would strengthen connections through Abu Dhabi.

“Double daily flights give our guests even greater flexibility when travelling between Australia and Etihad’s growing global network,” De said.

“The additional service strengthens connectivity through Abu Dhabi, creating more seamless access to destinations across the Middle East and Europe, while making it easier for travellers to experience Abu Dhabi and discover everything the emirate has to offer as part of their journey.”

Growing network

The Sydney expansion comes as Etihad accelerates capacity growth after rebuilding its network following the disruption earlier this year.

Speaking to Gulf News during the Arabian Travel Market, Etihad CEO Antonoaldo Neves said the airline had returned to full capacity by July and was seeing strong demand.

“July this year we had 17 per cent more capacity than July last year,” Neves said. “We made more money July this year than July last year.” He said August was slightly weaker because of higher fuel prices, but described July and August as “very good” months for the airline.

“September has started in a good way,” Neves said. “Our flights are full, full, full, full.”

Etihad’s load factor reached 92 per cent last month, according to Neves, while the airline was operating around 320 flights a day, about 20 per cent more than a year earlier.

More aircraft

The airline is also continuing to add aircraft to support its expansion. Neves said Etihad expected to receive around 15 aircraft in the second half of the year, with the majority narrow-body aircraft and several Airbus A350 wide-bodies.

The airline is particularly using its Airbus A321LR aircraft to add frequencies and serve longer routes.

“The customers are really happy about the A321 long range,” Neves said, adding that the aircraft was allowing Etihad to offer more frequency and schedule options.

“We have now double dailies to almost all destinations in Europe, and that's only possible because we have the A321LRs,” he said. Etihad expects to end the year with around 140 aircraft, up from about 70 in 2022. “We're really proud of that,” Neves said. “In four years we doubled the number of aircraft.”

The new Sydney schedule will also connect into Etihad’s wider network through Abu Dhabi, while passengers travelling beyond Sydney can use Etihad’s interline partners Qantas, Jetstar and Air New Zealand.