The first of Etihad’s four Airbus A380s returns to the sky from today on the popular Abu Dhabi-London Heathrow route.

This inaugural flight departed Abu Dhabi at 02:05 hrs and landed at London Heathrow at 06:45 hrs local time. Prior to take-off, executives from Etihad, Abu Dhabi Airport and the Department of Culture and Tourism gathered to welcome back the aircraft. On board, guests were treated to Airbus A380 themed souvenirs to celebrate the occasion.

Antonoaldo Neves, CEO, Etihad Airways, said, “We’re excited to once again welcome guests onboard Etihad’s A380s and step into a truly remarkable experience. Whether our guests are choosing to fly in Economy, Business, First or our three-room suite in the sky The Residence, this aircraft provides an elevated flying experience which we take extreme pride in. The aircraft adds much needed capacity connecting Abu Dhabi with London Heathrow and allows us to build our network and increase frequencies across the network. With a surge in demand for travel over the summer, the return of our much-loved A380 comes at the perfect time.”