Airline News
Etihad receives A380, B787, plagued by ‘fog delays’
January 13th 2015
Spirits were high at Etihad in Abu Dhabi as it officially welcomed two new flagship aircraft to its fleet, the A380 and the B787-9. Read More »
Etihad’s maiden A380 revenue service took off for London’s Heathrow on December 27 featuring its $20,000-a-flight “The Residence” apartment-style first class. Etihad has 10 A380s on order. Following repeated delays, it has received the first of 71 B787s it has ordered. Etihad has said that issues with the jet’s interiors led to the delivery delay. IIt has yet to confirm the official date for the B787-9’s revenue service inauguration, but the latest GDS data suggests that the aircraft will debut on February 15, in a flight to Dusseldorf.
In addition to the good news about new aircraft types, Etihad was also facing a public relations disaster over long delays and cancellations caused by heavy fog in Abu Dhabi. Frustrated passengers took to the internet to share their ordeals. In one particularly embarrassing case, an Etihad B777-300ER, flight EY183 to San Francisco, was stuck on the tarmac for more than 12 hours, turning the flight into a 28-hour endurance test. The airline, thus far, has not responded to passengers’ compensation requests.
