Etihad Looks to be Retiring A380

The A380 is one of my favorite planes hands down and my first A380 ride was with on Etihad! I took the Abu Dhabi (AUH) to London Heathrow (LHR) service and it was an amazing experience! The plane was huge and super comfy. This plane is known for having the absolute first class experience in the world called “The Residence”. It also had numerous first class “Apartments” with sliding doors; even a lounge for first and business class passengers to relax mid flight. Etihad took luxury to the next level.

Etihad First Class Apartment - 2nd deck A380

Etihad Lounge - 2nd deck A380

Unfortunately, while popular with aviation enthusiast like myself, 4 engine airplanes are not popular with airline executives due to fuel and maintenance costs. Many airlines such as Air France have already retired their entire Airbus A380 fleet and other 4 engine planes such as the A340 and 747. It looks like Etihad is following the trend. As seen on their website showcasing their fleet; the Airbus A380 is not listed among the passenger jets. It looks like it may be gone for good; however the airline has not made an announcement. This might be temporary; but it still sad seeing another A380 taken out of service.

A380 Missing - Etihad Website