The CEO ofEtihadIn a recent interview with The National newspaper, Tony Douglas outlined the Abu Dhabi company's strategy, Etihad Airways. Undergoing restructuring since 2018, the covid pandemic has accelerated the carrier's transformation.
In 2020, as traffic collapses and borders close, Etihad has parked its aircraft and reduced its network to 50 passenger destinations by the end of the year. That's about 35% of its pre-covid capacity. At the same time, the company reduced its operating costs by 39 %. According to its results presentation, Etihad will have carried 4.2 million passengers in 2020 compared with 17.4 million in 2019. Revenues fell by 74%.
Disappearance of the most luxurious product in air transport
The compulsory austerity cure has in fact enabled Etihad to reposition itself as a mid-sized carrier. The expansion strategy will now focus on of long-haul twin-engine aircraft. The backbone of the Etihad fleet is called "Boeing 787. After 2022it will be enriched byAirbus A350.
This change of direction therefore seals the future of Etihad's ten Airbus A380s. According to Tony Douglas, the Airbus A380s have little chance of returning to service after being parked.
With the retirement of the Airbus giant, the world's most luxurious air transport product, "The Residenceis disappearing. Only available on the A380, the product redefined luxury by air with a service well above that offered by a First Class. It was in fact a real three-room flat comprising a lounge with a sofa, cupboards and a mini-bar, a bedroom with a double bed and a bathroom with a shower. As well as fitting out this private cabin, Etihad provided a butler on board, while exclusive lounges and areas were available at Abu Dhabi airport.
On average, a ticket on "The Residence" cost at least 15,000 euros one way. The product was available on flights to London, New York, Paris, Seoul and Sydney. Another aviation legend disappears with the pandemic.
