By Victor Shalton
Etihad Airways Boosts Flight Operations to U.S.
Etihad Airways plans to add 4 additional weekly flights between Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates and New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, starting in November. These additional flights will be flown on the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.
In response to the increased demand seen on this route, the carrier will be adding these flights. Amid the recent rise in air travel, Etihad has significantly profited from this transoceanic service.
The additional flights bring the total number of weekly services operated by the airline between New York and Abu Dhabi from 7 to 11. In addition, the flights will permit more passengers to take advantage of Etihad’s massive international network.
Those traveling from New York to Abu Dhabi will be able to reach any of the airline’s 70 international destinations, most of which are destinations across the Middle East, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. For those traveling to New York, JetBlue — the airline’s codeshare partner — can offer service to over 46 destinations across the Americas.
At the moment, Etihad operates flights once a day to New York aboard its flagship Airbus A350. However, it will introduce the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner to operate four times a week along this route. Etihad will fly this flight on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
“Etihad is enhancing its schedule this winter to give even more options for our guests across key business and leisure destinations in our global network,” Vice President of Network Planning & Alliances, Alex Featherstone, stated. “Our New York service continues to perform strongly, and having already experienced record passenger demand this summer, Ethiad is excited to be investing further in this market by building on frequency levels ahead of the peak winter travel period.”
The airline also flies to Chicago’s O’Hare Airport and Washington D.C.’s Dulles Airport. The additional flights will bring the total number of weekly Etihad flights between Abu Dhabi and the US to 25. Additionally, Etihad will be offering 50 percent more premium seats this winter season to the U.S. than it did during the 2021 winter season.
Etihad faces competition from Qatar Airways and Emirates, which each offer flights twice a day to JFK Airport. Passengers traveling to the U.S. will use the airline’s unique pre-clearance procedures.
The airline offers a United States Customs and Border Protection facility where passengers will be screened before boarding the flight. This is the only US Customs facility in the Middle East.
By going through customs in Abu Dhabi, passengers can bypass the lines and long waits that are seen upon arrival in the U.S. Etihad hopes that the additional flights and premium services will meet the high travel demand and retain passengers for future flights.
Victor Shalton’s love for aviation can be traced to when he was 11-years-old. As a seasoned aviation writer, he takes pride in providing the best aviation coverage around the globe and is passionate about advancing his skills in the aviation space. In addition, he loves travelling, writing, arts and while his speaking engagements have taken him around the world, he is proud to call Nairobi home.
