Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has announced the deployment of its Airbus A380 to Mumbai for a special four-month period to mark 20 years since its inaugural flight to the city.

According to a press statement by Etihad, the double-decker aircraft will operate three weekly flights between Abu Dhabi (AUH) and Mumbai (BOM), enhancing the travel experience on this popular route from September 1 until December 31.

Etihad says that since its first flight to Mumbai on September 26, its relationship with India has deepened. The airline currently offers nonstop services between Abu Dhabi and 11 Indian cities, with plans for further expansion.

In a move to create a more inclusive and accessible experience for its Indian customers, Etihad also recently became the first international airline operating in India to launch a Hindi website that allows customers to access information in their preferred language.

Arik De

“To kick off our celebrations for 20 years of service to Mumbai and India, we are thrilled to introduce our A380 on the Mumbai route. While this iconic aircraft is typically reserved for long-haul journeys, for our 20 years of celebrations of flying to India, we will showcase the A380 on three-days a week for a period of four months,” says Arik De, Etihad’s Chief Revenue and Commercial Officer.

The statement adds that Etihad is offering special A380-themed fares to celebrate the four-month visit to Mumbai. The promotional fare can be booked until August 25, for travel between September 1 and October 13.

Antonoaldo Neves

Etihad has also released its preliminary traffic figures for July, wherein it recorded 1.7 million passengers with an average load factor of 89 pc for the month.

“Our passenger numbers in July surged by 33 pc compared to the same period last year, underscoring our continuing strong growth. Year-to-date, we have served 10.4 million passengers, up 2.8 million on the same period last year, and as of July 2024, our rolling 12-month passenger count now stands at 16.8 million,” says Antonoaldo Neves, CEO of Etihad Airways.

“July’s load factor of 89 pc reflects our successful performance during a peak summer period, amidst significant capacity expansion since 2023. Our fleet continues to grow, expanding to 93 aircraft from 78 in July 2023, and we now serve 10 more destinations than we did a year ago,” he adds.