Select your outward journey date
Select your return journey date

Etihad to launch economy-only flights

Transport 02/03/2011

Etihad will do away with first and business class configurations on some aircraft, as it prepares to launch an "all economy" service in October.

In a move that will see it compete on a playing field currently occupied by budget carriers, the new service would, to begin with, operate to short haul destinations.

Amongst the first economy only routes to be offered by Abu Dhabi's flag carrier are Alexandria, Colombo, Damascus, Doha and Calicut.

The airline is looking to schedule 10 "all-economy" Airbus A320 aircraft with a capacity of 162 passengers.

Etihad's CEO James Hogan said that the airline will now offer a "more competitive product" in the Asian, Middle Eastern, North African and Indian Sub-continental markets.

However, an all economy aircraft would still provide seat back entertainment systems, hot and cold meals and a seating pitch of 32 inches.

The editorial team

In brief