Etihad Airways’ first commercial flight has departed its brand new Terminal A home at Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Etihad flight EY224, took off from the new terminal, which has the capability to handle up to 45 million passengers a year, on October 31, 2023, and headed for New Delhi at 2:45 pm.
On board the Airbus A350-1000, for the inaugural flight there were 359 guests, all of whom (whether they were flying economy and business classes) were treated to a special tasting menu at the new flagship Etihad Lounges which span three floors at Terminal A.
The ceremonial flight was officially inaugurated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Gate c27, attended by Etihad’s CEO, Antonoaldo Neves and Abu Dhabi Airports Managing Director and Interim CEO, Elena Sorlini.
“This is a pivotal and exciting moment in Etihad’s history. As we begin to celebrate our 20th anniversary in November, we are ready for the next growth chapter in our new home,” Neves said. “Our congratulations go to the Abu Dhabi leadership for their vision in creating what is one of the world’s most spectacular airports. The terminal is a stunning piece of architecture that echoes the local landscape and warmly welcomes our guests and elevates their travel experience.
A new chapter unfolds. As we set our sights on the future, we celebrate our first flight from Terminal A, the new home of the national carrier. Keep an eye out for more information, with flights transitioning between 9 and 14 November. pic.twitter.com/r88BF3fLJK
— Etihad Airways (@etihad) November 1, 2023
Etihad’s CEO added: “As we begin our transition to our new home, we look forward to welcoming even more passengers as we continue to grow and expand our fleet and network.”
Once fully up and running the new terminal will connect Abu Dhabi to 117 global destinations.
Etihad will transition flights to Terminal A in a phased approach from November 9, 2023. Between November 9 and 14, Etihad will operate from both Terminal A and Terminal 3, and from 11 am on November 14 the nation’s flag carrier is set to operate all flights from Terminal A.
“This is an historic moment for Abu Dhabi International Airport, our partners at Etihad Airways, and the emirate as whole. The first flight from Terminal A marks a major milestone in the journey of Abu Dhabi’s aviation sector. Terminal A brings a significant increase to capacity and delivers state-of-the-art facilities to both airlines and passengers. We look forward to welcoming more passengers throughout November as we continue to increase the number of flights departing and arriving at Terminal A,” Sorlini said.