Other Middle East and Africa Frequent Flyer Programs - Etihad's Major Oz Expansion: Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne then Perth or Adelaide

Big news and indicative that Etihad's ambitious expansion plan will benefit travellers and tourism to and from Australia.


Sydney services to be doubled to twice daily- this year
Brisbane to more than double to daily - this year
Melbourne to be the next Australian destination, then PER or ADL.


I'll add links in a moment; first reported from a James Hogan interview in ArabianBusiness.

Ex-Soviet, Australia routes (http://www.guardian.co.uk/feedarticle?id=7415705)- Guardian UK

Context of 2008's mass expansion
FYI while looking for the actual interview rather than just a report, I found this other 'big picture' interview, putting EY's expansion into the context of the wealth of Abu Dhabi.

Aiming to be the Best (http://www.theedgedaily.com/cms/content.jsp?id=com.tms.cms.article.Article_def7e98 f-cb73c03a-158f1fa0-a8e21704) [The Edge, Singapore]
Hogan, less than two years into his appointment as the CEO of Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways, has one simple goal when he is doing all this flying: to make Etihad the “best airline in the world”. This is a line that he states without hesitation and repeatedly during various media interviews including this one.

By some measures, Etihad is already heading in the right direction in achieving this goal. For three consecutive years starting from 2004, it has won the title of the World’s Leading New Airline in the World Travel Awards.

Any word on the equipment?

Equipment is an important issue here. Etihad already max out most of their fleet. What's the delivery schedule like. Will take 2 aircraft to fly daily to Oz.

Doubling of equipment plus doubling of crew.

No word on either, so it would be up to unofficial channels, or journos, to report. ;)

Looking forward to hearing it but I expect the B777s to do OZ and later on the A380s.

Looking forward to hearing it but I expect the B777s to do OZ and later on the A380s.

B777s are 2-class low density. Also, Emirates don't fly non-stop B77Ws to SYD/MEL/BNE due to payload restrictions out of hot Dubai. Surely this is an A340 job?

B777s are 2-class low density. Also, Emirates don't fly non-stop B77Ws to SYD/MEL/BNE due to payload restrictions out of hot Dubai. Surely this is an A340 job?

Based on EK's offerings I hope EY can offer a A340 or 345 rather than a B777ER (or similar)!

I'm booked on EK419 B777ER SYD-BKK-DXB and wish I wasn't.
Surely the A345 would be a much more comforable choice in J, for EY, EK and other airlines doing this route.
GF's former SYD offering was very good in this regard.

Murdoch's Melbourne rag is promising an announcement after a supplier inadvertently leaked details of an Etihad announcement in Melbourne by James Hogan:

Etihad Airways plans touchdown (http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,24036594-664,00.html) [Melbourne Herald Sun]
...The plan leaked yesterday when Etihad's media contractor, Hill and Knowlton, issued invitations to a function to be hosted at the airport by Mr Hogan and airport chief executive Chris Woodruff.

The decision to come to Victoria appears to have been sweetened with a range of concessions.

Last April Mr Hogan told BusinessDaily that Melbourne and Perth were vying for the Abu Dhabi service and had become missing links in Etihad's Australian network which already included services to Sydney and Brisbane.

Hi Biz

Don't hold your breath re J on EK A345, it's way below standard(not flat but 'z' shaped recline) esp considering EK charge a premium to travel on the A345 out of SYD compared to lower prices on 777. Even that ac only had ex F seats used as J offering. Yes, GF J sleeper seats were better than both EK's 345 and 777 J's.

I have a vague feeling the 777 F and J seats may have ben upgraded, however.

CJ:)

Any chance one of these Middle Eastern carriers tag their Aussie flights to AKL or CHC? Emirates' entry to the trans-Tasman market benefited them and consumers, I would love to have more of the ME carriers to NZ.

I heard that Thai is gonna resume SYD or BNE -AKL flights, is it true?

I heard that Thai is gonna resume SYD or BNE -AKL flights, is it true?

My understanding was that the Thai's third daily BKK-MEL would continue onto AKL.

Any chance one of these Middle Eastern carriers tag their Aussie flights to AKL or CHC? Emirates' entry to the trans-Tasman market benefited them and consumers, I would love to have more of the ME carriers to NZ.
Well GF discontinued its BAH-SIN-SYD a while back as it was loss-making for them. If they couldn't make it work back then with much, much lower operating costs then chances of it restarting it soon are slim. I imagine that eventually they will re-link Australia but much later on when they've sorted out their shaky finances.
Qatar has yet to launch an Australian service, but has Melbourne specifically in mind. NZ coulc come later.
As far as the near foreseable future is concerned, slim chances of an Oz-NZ link except EK.

It's reported locally and I'll find the link on Etihad's website. :)

Etihad to launch flights to Melbourne in 2009 (http://www.etihadairways.com/etihadairways/au/en/aboutetihad/mediacenter/newslisting/ListingPage.htm)[Etihad]
Etihad Airways will launch non-stop daily services from its Abu Dhabi home-base to Melbourne, Australia from March 2009

Too bad about this week's fare rises. We should look for a few seat sales.

Etihad eyes Melbourne as new Australian destination (http://www.etravelblackboard.com/showarticle.asp?id=80371&nav=2)
[E-travel blackboard]
Eithad Airways has earmarked Melbourne as its newest destination, launching non-stop daily services from the Victorian city to its Abu Dhabi base from March 2009.

...will be the first international airline to commence services to Melbourne in the last 2 years.

“Since the successful launch of our services to Sydney and Brisbane, we have been particularly eager to spread our wings and expand our Australian operations even further. I hope that our new Melbourne flights will prove to be a winner for both commercial and leisure traveller alike,” Etihad Airways’ chief executive officer, James Hogan, said.

“Etihad looks forward to opening up further trade and holiday-maker traffic business in both the UAE and Australia by creating direct links between Melbourne and Abu Dhabi.”

Nice news!
Ethad boosts frequency (http://news.cheapflights.co.uk/flights/2008/07/etihad-boosts-f.html)[Cheap Flights UK]
Etihad Airways (website: etihadairways.com) has confirmed that it will increase the frequency of its connecting UK services to Melbourne.

From March 2009, the Abu Dhabi-based airline is to begin running daily flights from London Heathrow and Manchester airports via its base in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The carrier already runs 17 flights a week from Heathrow and seven from Manchester, but as of next spring its timetable will be updated to offer daily UK connections to the Australian city.

PS. Etihad is sponsoring some kind of game /competition - Koalapult (http://www.koala-pult.co.uk/landing5.php).

Reported yesterday... I am getting slack. :p
- Tue/Thu/Sat/Sun night flights - on new A346...

Etihad Airways adds four extra Sydney flights (http://www.etravelblackboard.com/showarticle.asp?id=83897) [etravelblackboard AU]

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, will from today increase from seven to 11 the number of services from Sydney to its home base in Abu Dhabi.

...Passengers heading to Europe can now choose from an afternoon or evening departure from Sydney, allowing them to arrive into Europe either in the morning or in the afternoon.

...All Sydney flights are operated by the new Airbus A340-600 series of aircraft which provides 12 seats in first class; 30 in business class and 244 in economy class.

...The new flights will operate from Sydney on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday evenings.