02 May 2016 11:00
Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has introduced Mumbai to its Airbus A380 network with the launch of daily scheduled flights featuring its award-winning The Residence – the world’s first three-room suite on a commercial airliner.
Flight EY204 from Abu Dhabi landed at Chhatrapati Shivaji
International Airport in Mumbai last night (May 1) on the celebrated occasion
of Maharashtra Day, the 56th anniversary of the state’s formation.
Mumbai becomes the airline’s fourth A380 destination following London Heathrow,
Sydney and New York, with Melbourne set to join on June 1.
Etihad Airways senior management team
led by Mohammed Al Bulooki, Vice President Commercial UAE, flew on the
inaugural flight, arriving to a traditional lamp lighting ceremony attended by officials
from the airline and Mumbai airport operator, GVK.
Due to the current water crisis currently
gripping the State of Maharashtra, Etihad Airways decided not to proceed with a
customary water salute that typically marks the arrival of an airline’s first
flight to an airport.
The choice of Maharashtra Day to
launch the world’s largest passenger jet to India reinforced the airline’s commitment
to the country; to meet an increase in demand for air services; and to support growing
trade and tourism in India.
With the aircraft upgrade, Etihad Airways is able to offer an
all-A380 daily service in both directions between Mumbai and New York JFK
International with a seamless connection over Abu Dhabi,
along with the unique USA customs
border protection which enables guests to pre-clear US customs in Abu Dhabi.
The service is operated as a codeshare flight with Etihad Airways’ strategic
Indian partner Jet Airways.
James Hogan, Etihad Airways President and
Chief Executive Officer, said: “Etihad
Airways is a young, innovative airline, yet a long-time supporter of the buoyant
Indian aviation industry, operating to this diverse country since 2004 when
Mumbai became the launch pad of our operations here.
“Bringing
our flagship product to India with additional seat capacity demonstrates
our overwhelming undertaking to one of the world’s fastest growing economies, helping
fulfil growing demand and meeting travellers’ expectations for superior
products and services. Key feeder markets to and from Europe, North America and
the Middle East will also benefit greatly from the upgraded service.
“Our
commitment to India is unequivocal, having built a robust and successful route network
with our own dedicated services and those of our partner Jet Airways which,
combined, give us 20 per cent market share, making us the largest contributors of
passenger traffic to and from India, bigger than any other international
airline.”
The two carriers currently operate 254
flights a week from 15 destinations in India to Abu Dhabi and beyond to a wide
network of cities across all Continents. Both carriers codeshare on each
other’s services to and from India.
Neerja Bhatia, Vice President Indian Subcontinent,
added: “We are delighted to showcase our innovative The Residence featuring a living room, shower and
bedroom, and our revolutionary First Apartments and Business Studios on the new
daily A380 Mumbai flights that give our guests the very best onboard
experiences with unmatched luxury and comfort.
“Maharashtra is one of the largest
states in India, and its capital Mumbai is a cosmopolitan, dynamic and popular
city. Mumbai to New York represents the largest premium travel market out of
India, and with the busy holiday season upon us, it is the perfect time to bring
our newest product to Mumbai. We look forward to welcoming travellers from
Mumbai and surrounding cities as we believe the A380 will appeal to a much
wider customer base keen to experience the aircraft and its services to Abu
Dhabi and onward connecting points.”
Rajeev Jain, Chief Executive Officer of
Mumbai International Airport Ltd, said: “We
at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport are delighted to welcome Etihad
Airways’ A380 to Mumbai.
“We
appreciate that Etihad Airways chose Mumbai, a testimony to their discerning
customers who fly from the city. The state-of-the art operational and customer
facilities at Terminal 2 and the fly-by-wire A380 will be in good company. I am
sure the operations of Etihad Airways’ A380 will be a delightful experience for
all passengers and lead to robust growth in travel in the days to come.”
The inaugural A380 Mumbai
operational crew included 22 all-Indian cabin crew and Indian pilots, Captain
Ramesh Krishna, from Hyderabad, and First Officer Irfan Rizvi, from Mumbai.
Captain Krishna said on arrival: “It’s a great honour to fly Etihad
Airways’ first A380 into India with today’s launch serevice to Mumbai. Being
Indian and living and working in the UAE, this truly is a day of pride for me,
my home country and my adopted country to fly our largest aircraft into India
for the first time.”
Etihad Airways’ A380 features a total capacity of 496 seats – up
to two guests in The Residence, nine First Apartments, 70
Business Studios, and 415 Economy Smart Seats.
The airline has taken the finest details from the best service
hospitality establishments around the world to redefine the A380 travel
experience – from the comfort of a seat and finest cuisine to new inflight
amenities and extensive entertainment options. Inflight chefs create a
made-to-order dining experience from a larder of fresh ingredients for guests
travelling in The Residence and First Class.
Onboard Food and Beverage Managers, with experience of
working in luxury hotels and top restaurants, guide guests travelling in
Business Class through the extensive menu options available and provide
recommendations on the perfect accompaniment for their meals.
And a Flying Nanny
trained by the world-famous Norland College in the UK, is onboard every A380 to
provide dedicated childcare support for families travelling with young
children.
The Residence is an ultra-private,
three-room suite featuring a living room with a 32” LCD monitor, bedroom with a
double bed, separate en-suite shower room and dedicated personal Butler trained
at the world-renowned Savoy Butler Academy in London to look after the needs of
its discerning guests. The cabin also comes with a private chef ready to
custom-create menus to order.
The nine First Apartments
in First Class are private living spaces featuring a flat-screen television, a
chilled mini-bar, personal vanity unit, wardrobe and a fully equipped shower
room for the exclusive use of First Class guests.
The 70-configured Business
Studios are located on the upper deck of the A380, all offering direct aisle
access, a fully flat bed and an increase of 20 per cent in personal space.
The Lobby, a luxurious
lounge located between the First Class and Business Class cabins, features two
comfortable sofas and a staffed bar, enhancing the sense of serenity.
The main deck features
415 Economy Smart Seats which offer unique ergonomic fixed-wing headrests,
lumbar support and an 11-inch personal, high-definition monitor screen to enjoy
over 750 hours of on-demand movies, TV programmes, improved gaming and live TV
news and sports via the state-of-the-art Panasonic eX3 entertainment system.
The A380 operates on one
of the five-daily scheduled flights between Mumbai and Abu Dhabi. Etihad
Airways operates three flights and Jet Airways operates two.
The Mumbai A380 also offers guests
with connections to and from popular destinations such as London, Paris,
Manchester, Chicago, San Francisco, Toronto, Bahrain, Doha and Jeddah.
Flights to and from
Mumbai can be booked at www.etihad.com, via Etihad Airways Contact Centres or
travel agents. Etihad
Airways’ one-way fares, including taxes and surcharges, in The Residence in either direction between Abu Dhabi and Mumbai are
approximately US$ 5,000; between London and Mumbai, approximately, US$ 26,000;
and between New York and Mumbai approximately US$ 38,000.
Etihad Airways’ daily
schedule between Abu Dhabi & Mumbai with the A380 flights highlighted: (all
times are local)
Flight no.
|
Origin
|
Destination
|
Departs
|
Arrives
|
Aircraft
|
Frequency
|
EY212
|
Abu Dhabi
|
Mumbai
|
03.15
|
08.25
|
A321
|
Daily
|
EY213
|
Mumbai
|
Abu Dhabi
|
10.20
|
12.10
|
A321
|
Daily
|
EY204
|
Abu Dhabi
|
Mumbai
|
14.10
|
19.20
|
A380
|
Daily
|
EY203
|
Mumbai
|
Abu Dhabi
|
21.35
|
23.25
|
A380
|
Daily
|
EY206
|
Abu Dhabi
|
Mumbai
|
21.40
|
02.50
|
B777
|
Daily
|
EY205
|
Mumbai
|
Abu Dhabi
|
04.20
|
06.10
|
B777
|
Daily
|