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Etihad Airways will add Sydney as the airline’s second Airbus A380 destination when it deploys the double-decker superjumbo to the NSW capital from its Abu Dhabi-hub on June 1 next year.
The airline confirmed Sydney as the second A380 route on Wednesday, with London the inaugural city.
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The daily A380 service, operating as EY454 from Abu Dhabi and the reciprocal EY455 from Sydney, will replace the Boeing 777-300ER currently operating the route.
Etihad flies 11 times a week between Abu Dhabi and Sydney, while its alliance partner Virgin Australia flies the route three times a week.
Etihad’s A380 aircraft have economy, business and first class, as well as the airline’s Residence concept, where two people share a living space, a bedroom and have access to their own bathroom.
It was due to debut on the Abu Dhabi-London route from December 27.
A return ticket for two people in the residences between Sydney and London was about $86,000, according to a dummy booking for travel in June 2015 on the Etihad website.
The airline had previously announced it would use the Boeing 787-9 on its daily Brisbane-Abu Dhabi route from June 1 2015.
As part of preparations for bringing the A380 and 787 into service, Etihad said 149 pilots were currently undergoing a combination of simulator and classroom training, as well as flying the A380 and 787 with other airlines.
