Air France announced last September suspend its Paris-Abu Dhabi route with the introduction of winter timetables. A decision that seemed surprising at a time when the link was inaugurated in October 2023. The airline launched the new route with high hopes of rapid growth, operating one flight a day with an Airbus A350-900. This new route was part of a strengthened cooperation agreement with the national carrier of the United Arab Emirates, Etihad Airways.
Instead of Air France, it will in fact be Etihad to take over. The carrier has just announced that it will be using an Airbus A380 on a second daily service from Paris. With a capacity of 485 seats, the aircraft will leave Paris CDG at 9.45am, arriving in Abu Dhabi at 7.25pm. The aircraft will feature the luxury Residence product, an exclusive three-space suite located at the front of First Class, as well as the First Apartment product, a private space with a seat that converts into a bed.
It should be noted thatEtihad strengthens its position in Europe. The airline plans to offer two daily flights from around ten destinations for the 2025 summer season. In addition to London and Paris, Etihad will also offer two daily flights from Barcelona, Frankfurt, Madrid, Manchester, Milan, Munich, Rome and Zurich. Etihad will also increase its weekly frequencies to 10 from Dublin, 5 from Copenhagen and one daily from Casablanca.
