What is up with Etihad's Australian operations?

[SCM]

If they are making money with 777, why would they? How is overpriced measured?

Not knowing the total capacity of 777 v A350, maybe freight capacity is a factor which is a money spinner.

My point isn't which aircraft to choose for the route but rather why not add more aircraft rather than other Asian ports where customers pay far less for the same product.

 

[HS-TQE]

My point isn't which aircraft to choose for the route but rather why not add more aircraft rather than other Asian ports where customers pay far less for the same product.

Perhaps better returns elsewhere than in Australia?

Not to mention the previous factors, i.e aircraft availability for the hypothetical extra Australian flights, Cargo playing a factor in sending the 777?, the loss of the VA major partner status, whether EY can fill the aircraft minus most of the VA feed, etc.

 

[SCM]

Perhaps better returns elsewhere than in Australia?

Not to mention the previous factors, i.e aircraft availability for the hypothetical extra Australian flights, Cargo playing a factor in sending the 777?, the loss of the VA major partner status, whether EY can fill the aircraft minus most of the VA feed, etc.

Can you give me a port in asia where flights are more expensive than from Perth? Perth just because it's geographically closer to ME.

I don't see why such a minor detail in VA partnership matters, VA is parterning with any airlines heading to Europe - SQ, QR, EY, and it still even does codeshares with EY for domestic flights, but once more, I just don't see how it's relevant, there is so much demand - far more demand than supply. How do you think airlines which are not partners with anyone make money flying here?

 

[jase05]

Can you give me a port in asia where flights are more expensive than from Perth? Perth just because it's geographically closer to ME.

I don't see why such a minor detail in VA partnership matters, VA is parterning with any airlines heading to Europe - SQ, QR, EY, and it still even does codeshares with EY for domestic flights, but once more, I just don't see how it's relevant, there is so much demand - far more demand than supply. How do you think airlines which are not partners with anyone make money flying here?

EY have obviously crunched their numbers and ultimately decided Australia isn’t worth it currently. They seem to have streamlined and downsized their operations and are comfortable where they are at for now. Doesn’t mean it won’t change in the future

 

[HS-TQE]

Etihad would also have a much smaller fleet then their bigger brothers at EK and QR. I'm sure if EY had a bigger fleet, they'd be ramping up their Australian operations where the demand is. But with limited fleet, they would also know where to place their resources where the greater return is.

 

[GDale]

Echoing the sentiment that Etihad would've crunched the numbers and figured out what's optimal - and passenger fare profitability is just one of a multitude of elements, most of which the general public does not get to see whatsoever (some examples include freight profitability, aircraft utilisation rate, general opportunity cost to operate, route subsidies, potential loss of landing rights/slots, cost to resume routes/regain market share in the future if frequency is reduced, etc).

 

[TMP]

https://www.etihad.com/content/dam/eag/etihadairways/etihadcom/Global/products/fleet/etihad-b777-300er-2class-v2-map.jpg

I chose 14A and 14K.

@Thibault Do you recall what was behind row 14 separating the cabin from economy?

I've just booked row 14 (the last window seat) on the 777.

 

[Thibault]

@Thibault Do you recall what was behind row 14 separating the cabin from economy?

I've just booked row 14 (the last window seat) on the 777.

Yes - there is a 'wall' that separates the Business Cabin from the Economy Cabin.
See below a high-definition seat map of that EY J config.

EY Boeing 777-300ER (2 class 40J) - aeroLOPA | Detailed aircraft seat plans

Hola > Etihad Airways > Boeing 777-300ER (two class)This version of the Etihad two-class Boeing 777-300ER is configured 40J 340M and features the Stelia Solstys II seat in Business Class

www.aerolopa.com

 

[anyonebutqantas]

They should bring back the A380 ASAP.

 

[jase05]

They should bring back the A380 ASAP.

I hope I’m wrong but I don’t see the A380’s coming back to Australia.

 

[TMP]

The 380s are exclusive to and from LHR at the moment. I doubt it either.

I'm looking forward to trying the A351 product out of CDG in January.

 

[Thibault]

The 380s are exclusive to and from LHR at the moment. I doubt it either.

I'm looking forward to trying the A351 product out of CDG in January.

There were some reports that it might be sent to JFK and/or SYD with the newly re-activated airframe that flew back to AUH a few days ago.

JFK would make sense - SYD would be great.

Please report on your experience on the A351 - I've thoroughly enjoyed my J sector on EY32 - the cabin is stunning.

They've replaced the A351 between AUH-CDG-AUH back to a 78X up until the 10th of January -hopefully you'll get to enjoy the new frame and cabin

 

[TMP]

Please report on your experience on the A351 - I've thoroughly enjoyed my J sector on EY32 - the cabin is stunning.

They've replaced the A351 between AUH-CDG-AUH back to a 78X up until the 10th of January -hopefully you'll get to enjoy the new frame and cabin

I will do - let's hope the rotation back to the A351 sticks for my flight soon after that date

 

[IrishPete]

I last flew Etihad in 2019, pre-Covid-19 pandemic, and flew Melbourne - Dublin on Saturday in Economy.

It was packed Melbourne - Abu Dhabi, but slightly less so Abu Dhabi - Dublin.

In-flight service is better. I lost count of the number of meals distributed - a big change from my last experience when I seemed to be constantly hungry. Alcohol was a bit hard to access, but a full flight makes for a busy crew, so I forgive them.

Terminal A in Abu Dhabi is palatial. We accessed the Pearl Lounge, which is connected to Priority Pass. Not entirely sure how much is cost to get in. It wasn't very busy, and there were several showers each for men and women, and a 15-minute or so wait to get to use them, with one of those pagers so we could go and scull a beer.

Despite being brand new, the showers are a bit cough. The fittings seemed to be falling apart already. Water temperature was whatever it felt like (and varied, but never too hot, thankfully - cold is fine to counteract the ambient temperature in Abu Dhabi!), soap dispense attached to the wall was empty, and the bottle set out to replace it fell apart when I tried to use it... Weirdly the shower attendant didn't want to let us have a shower, and sent us to talk to the reception, from where a very grumpy man went and told him off. And then he held our boarding passes while we waited for the showers... I don't like letting those out of my sight.

The bar was very swish, and a cold lager really was appreciated. We didn't eat anything, as we'd been so well stuffed on Etihad.

I've just checked my Priority Pass account and it cost $70 to access for two (less than Pearl will charge you if you're not a member of PP). I believe that's the standard PP fee. I only joined for this trip, so I've no prior experience of using it. We will probably access Pearl Lounge on the way home too, though the connection is shorter.

 

[TMP]

@Thibault with the scoop. Etihad social media (Instagram) have just announced the A380 will be on JFK from 22/04/24.

 

[TMP]

Flew Etihad J MEL-AUH on the 777 and AUH-LHR on the 380 last weekend.

Velocity WP status recognised throughout at key points including at F Lounge in new Terminal A, and when asking for real champagne in the MEL House Lounge and receiving the a la carte menu.

As discussed in this thread, the planes and the hard product are chalk and cheese. My partner and I were in the middle honeymoon seats on the 777. If you were sitting next to someone you didn't know, even with the divider up, you'd know them very well by the end of the flight!

Zero storage in the seats on the 777. But you know what? For a night flight where the aim is to sleep, I actually found the seat pretty comfy (more so than the 380 actually) and got almost 9 hours sleep.

Service on the first leg was absolutely top notch. Second leg a bit patchy, and seemed really slow.

Food outstanding on both flights (for me anyway). Tomato and basil soup and fish for me, followed by the most amazing choc bread and butter pudding. My partner though had a pretty tough lamb curry and rice dish. Second flight was brekky but the sultana pancakes were light and fluffy and the steak sandwich hit the spot.







The new Armani Casa crockery and cutlery and bedding is really great. One of the propeller stirrers may have dropped into my amenity kit (wonder how many do on each flight!). Nice to have the 20th anniversary kit for something different from the usual.



Looking forward to the trip back home on the 351 CDG-AUH before the 777 again to MEL.

 

[winterblue]

As a formerly (pre-COVID) Etihad loyalist to get to Europe I've been following their post-COVID Australian strategy with great interest and frankly bafflement.

Take Sydney for instance, where we used to see double-daily A380 service to Abu Dhabi (996 seats per day) but we are now seeing the horribly outdated 777 only once a day (at just 370 seats). This massive reduction in capacity made sense about 18 months ago, but now with demand booming and flights to Europe and North America more or less running at pre-pandemic levels this willful surrender of the market strikes me as quite odd.

It also seems quite perplexing that they continue to use the comparatively inefficient and old 777s on these long routes instead of their newer, far more efficient (and far more comfortable) A350s which at 371 seats have virtually identical capacity.

I just can't make sense of what they're thinking here? Run limited capacity into a booming market where they have unutilised landing rights, and despite the high premium demand chuck on their oldest, most uncomfortable planes on a 14 hour journey.

I was thinking there's got to be something to this? Does anyone have any knowledge that might explain why they're making these decisions? Or is it just as strange as it looks?

I got online to seek an explanation.
I'm onboard a 777er atm. Had a dreamliner on way over..Melbourne to Abu Dahbi..with connecting flight..now home again. This plane is old. Dated despite a possible refurbishment with seats. The e box screen is small and surrounded by awful beige plastic. Alsi interesting to note the service and menu are not as giid as the 5 hour ish flights to and from Europe.

Why?????
Why are they doing this? Give us your best planes for LH please!!!!
It is very offputting.
Alsi, what happened to getting good movies ahead of screen dates in Aus? That used to be fantastic. Maybe streaming services bought the rights? Anyway etuhad's choices are very limited indeed.

 

[winterblue]

I think you've answered your own question here. They don't need to put their shiniest products on the Australian market. There is a lack of competition and more demand than supply so people will just take what they're given.

Simply not true. I would fly emirates and qatar over etihad because of this in future and will do so. Will also check out options with Singapore and whoever else treats LH guests as valued customers by providing their most modern planes. So it DOES matter.

 

[jb747]

Simply not true. I would fly emirates and qatar over etihad because of this in future and will do so. Will also check out options with Singapore and whoever else treats LH guests as valued customers by providing their most modern planes. So it DOES matter.

777 may be older than 787, but I'd much rather fly on the triple. Newer doesn't mean better, especially from Boeing.

 

[Saab34]

Really would like to see Etihad step up the game with its Oz product. If they are hell bent on ever increasing the flying plan again, then so be it, but at least give us A350 or A380. Economy proposition on the 777/787 isn’t that great. 787 has a newer Y seat, but it’s still very tight. A350 is top notch.

I know a few pilots, even those who fly it, don’t speak overly highly around the 787, seems to be littered with engineering issues since the start.

777 seems to be lumped in with the 767, is a well regarded piece of equipment, understand the cabin noise issue, but it’s certainly a fine piece of aircraft.

Pity they couldn’t just re engine the current 777-300ER, that would assist with the noise issue. They wanted to go one better with the 777X, which is how facing rolling delays.