Summary
- Etihad has cancelled its plans to extend frequency to Moscow for the upcoming winter season but will upgrade the route with a bigger aircraft.
- The airline continues to be expanding its operations within the Russian market and can start flights to St. Petersburg starting October twenty ninth.
- Etihad is implementing an overall expansion plan, increasing frequencies to Chennai, Maldives, Phuket and adding a fourth US destination in Boston.
Amid massive airline expansion plans, Abu Dhabi-based Etihad has now decided to cancel its expansion plans for the upcoming winter season for Moscow, Russia. While the airline had previously planned to extend its weekly frequency to Moscow International Airport (SVO) from its hub in Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH), the carrier might use larger aircraft as an alternative.
The service
Etihad currently serves SVO with one flight every day using a Boeing 787-9 aircraft on this route. Because the carrier’s 787-9s are available a two-class and a three-class configuration, the airline, in the meanwhile, can carry between 231 and 299 passengers per flight. Based on Aviation Source News, Etihad had initially planned to extend the frequency to 10 weekly flights starting October twenty ninth, however the plan is now placed on hold.
Nevertheless, the reports suggest that the airline might be upgrading the route with the larger Boeing 787-10 aircraft, which based on the airline website, can accommodate 336 passengers during this era as a way to increase capability on the path to Moscow.
Photo: Telsek | Shutterstock
While the carrier’s frequency boost plans to Moscow are on pause, the airline continues to be planning to expand its operations into the Russian market.
Second destination
Earlier this yr, the airline decided to start operations to a second Russian destination through the 2023 Winter Season as a part of its expansion plans. The airline has decided to start flights to St. Petersburg in Russia starting October twenty ninth. As reported by Aviation Week, the service will run 3 times per week on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays using its fleet of 787-9 aircraft.
Flight EY-069 has a scheduled departure time of 02:50 from AUH and a scheduled arrival time of 08:05 in St. Petersburg Pulkovo Airport (LED), with a flight time of 6 hours and quarter-hour. The return flight EY-070 has a scheduled departure time of 12:10 from LED and is about to reach in AUH at 19:15, with a flight time of slightly over six hours.
Photo: Tom Boon | Easy Flying
Etihad is the fifth-largest capability provider in Russia with a 5.2% market share, and with the extra three weekly flights to LED, this is about to extend. While in the meanwhile, Etihad only operates flights to 1 Russian destination, Air Arabia Abu Dhabi operates an extra six weekly flights to Moscow Domodedovo International Airport (DME).
Overall expansion
While the airline needed to downsize its route network and fleet considerably through the pandemic, Etihad is now back ready to regrow in a more sustainable manner and has already worked out an expansion plan.
The carrier is about to extend its frequency to Chennai International Airport with an extra seven flights bringing the whole weekly frequency on the path to 21. Moreover, Etihad is adding one other seven weekly flights to popular tourist destinations akin to the Maldives and Phuket, Thailand, bringing the whole weekly flights to 14 for every destination.
Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Easy Flying
The airline also recently re-inaugurated its Airbus A380 service, which can exclusively serve the London Heathrow – Abu Dhabi route to extend capability. While the carrier can also be set to extend frequencies to several European destinations akin to Madrid, Milan, Rome, Frankfurt, and Munich, Etihad can also be expanding further afield in North America.
With the addition of Boston as Etihad’s fourth US destination, the airline is about to operate 11% more flights to North America in the summertime of 2024. More importantly, Etihad’s passengers can benefit from using the TSA pre-clearance at AUH on flights to North America for a seamless travel experience and connect with more US destinations with Etihad’s codeshare partner, JetBlue.