Etihad Airways is pulling the plug on first class flights from Melbourne as the Virgin Australia partner moves both of its daily flights to a two-class Boeing 787-9.
The Gulf airline's latest schedule reveals that the Boeing 777-300ER which currently flies as EY460/EY461 and includes eight first class suites will replaced by the Dreamliner from October 1, 2018.
The second daily service of EY462/EY463 is already flown by a Boeing 787-9.
While some of Etihad's Boeing 787s feature eight cosy first class suites, those assigned to Melbourne-Abu Dhabi are from a second tranche of two-class jets which top out at business class – albeit with the highly-regarded Business Studio seats (below), so that's a win for most corporate high flyers.
Etihad Airways' Boeing 787 Business Studio business class
AusBT review: Etihad's Boeing 787 business class
However, with only 28 business class seats against 40 on the Boeing 777-300ER, this also means that points-based business class award bookings and upgrades on EY460 and EY461 are likely to be harder to come by.
Read: How to use Velocity frequent flyer points to book Etihad Airways flights
The move comes almost a year after Etihad canned its Airbus A380 flights from Melbourne, which removed not only the extravagant Residence three-room 'penthouse above the clouds' but the flagship first class Apartment suites.
As previously reported, Etihad's ongoing Aussie draw-down will also see its Perth flights dropped from October 2018.
Etihad also withdrew its first class service to Brisbane in December 2016 when the airline migrated from a three-class Boeing 787 fitted with first class, to a two-class Dreamliner maxing out at business class.
David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
Singapore Airlines - KrisFlyer
14 Jan 2014
Total posts 341
I’ve always liked Etihad, so it’s sad to see them falling apart like this.
Air New Zealand - Airpoints
10 Aug 2015
Total posts 79
Are they definitely falling apart or just allocating their planes to more profitable routes?
07 Oct 2012
Total posts 1251
Based on route & product withdrawals (here and elsewhere) and their lack of money making, I'd say falling.
Turkish Airlines - Miles & Smiles
08 Jun 2014
Total posts 264
Disappointing....
Emirates Airlines - Skywards
30 Nov 2015
Total posts 730
The Business Class 787 Studio does look fantastic though.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
18 Oct 2012
Total posts 130
What a great shame . When i heard about their Alitalia partnership (now failed) , I just thought this aint going to end well for them .Hopefully they can ride the storm.
17 Sep 2015
Total posts 388
Sydney remains the financial centre and this may generate high yield bookings, but Melbourne's population continues to increase faster and will at current rates exceed Sydney's easily within 30 years.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
08 Jul 2014
Total posts 58
Like any business (should), airlines deploy their assets so as to maximise return on investment. Etihad would presumably not have made this change had MEL generated a decent paying F load, and if it was not felt that the asset of a 777-300ER could not generate more profit elsewhere. Inbound F traffic will be greater to Sydney for the foreseeable future, notwithstanding the Victorian capital's many charms, and if those of us who live in Melbourne would like to see more F products, we need to be shelling out for them on a sufficiently large scale.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
28 Oct 2011
Total posts 461
Alan Joyce has made the comment that (for QF), sales in F from MEL are not strong, whereas they are quite good from SYD. And many of us are well aware that it is easier to get F award/upgrade seats from MEL than from SYD, because of lower demand for paid F seats.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
07 Dec 2014
Total posts 173
Well maybe in 30 years, when it "exceeds Sydney" they can reconsider? But for now, Sydney is larger, attracts more international visitors, and is the financial hub of Australia.
17 Sep 2015
Total posts 388
While I don't want to go OT too much, Sydney's population as measured includes the Central Coast, which is a separate area. So it's increasingly arguable as to whether Sydney is larger in population than Melbourne. Tourism to latter has been rising faster than to Sydney so any gap is narrowing.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
07 Dec 2014
Total posts 173
And Melbourne's includes the Mornington Peninsula,
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
18 Jun 2015
Total posts 57
I guess tourists willing to fly F makes the huge difference for Sydney over Melbourne.
Emirates Airlines - Skywards
30 Nov 2015
Total posts 730
Hope they never axe the 'Amarula Gold' in favour of just Bailey's, that would be an economy cut...
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
01 May 2015
Total posts 20
I flew yesterday F syd->auh. F was full, but there were 290 empty seats in economy and the stewardess was telling me how that’s been a recurrent theme even out of Sydney. They were blaming things like the reduced luggage allowance etc.
22 Jan 2018
Total posts 100
They’ve pulled out of Dallas and SFO as well, and no plans to add additional USA cities
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
07 Dec 2014
Total posts 173
I would have thought rather than luggage allowance, in economy price is the #1 factor for long haul? Are Etihad still price competitive on key routes out of Australia like Sydney-London?
17 Sep 2015
Total posts 388
Its website lists a return east coast - London fare of $1303. Maybe cheaper through travel agents, but Cathay Pacific and Philippine Airlines are among those with return fares that have been below A$1000, so on that basis - Etihad is uncompetitive.
27 Jan 2016
Total posts 52
Agreed - their luggage is 30kg which is pretty generous for economy
17 Sep 2015
Total posts 388
That's a seat occupancy percentage of 30.1 per cent in economy class (based on 415 seats in that class on an Etihad A380.)
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
08 Jul 2017
Total posts 27
Friends recently flew fra-Mel and said the same thing. The back of the plane is empty.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
22 Nov 2017
Total posts 6
I don't know that you can use one individual experience as an indication of how things are across the board. We flew out of MEL a month ago (on the 787-9) and it was 95% full; our connecting flight to MAD was full in Y and J.
Aegean Airlines - Miles & Bonus
17 Sep 2017
Total posts 17
Trust me, Etihad’s business studio is nothing to write home about... more the soft product and service which lets the experience down. The seat is also very hard.
30 Jun 2016
Total posts 51
I personally found the business studio on 789 to be excellent. Nice level of privacy, stylish design and pretty comfortable.
18 Jul 2013
Total posts 12
On the positive, i've always found service in business class improves when there is no first class service offered on Etihad.
08 Feb 2016
Total posts 14
I fly this route a couple of times a year, and always found the 777 they used on the evening Melbourne flight to be in pretty poor condition – bathrooms, seats and floors in particular. So despite the reduced capacity and upgrade opportunities, I’m glad this move means we will get a newer and nicer plane.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
10 Feb 2017
Total posts 1
Once an airline with a great reputation. Slowly going downhill. Just returned from AUH into SYD on the A380. Business cabin half full, first less than half and to cap it off the service in J was appalling. Sad to see.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
01 Mar 2017
Total posts 3
We have always flown in first class with BA on our annual pilgrimage back to the UK, but after a very disappointing trip last year we have booked to fly Etihad out of Sydney in first class, so fingers crossed.
29 Feb 2016
Total posts 28
Interesting comments - last week had best ever F Syd Auh Lhr on the A380 - personable crew, top service etc. didn’t see downstairs but F was 7 of 9 full and biz looked 75%. There are stats somewhere to argue those F/J percentages would pay for majority of opex, with Y being small margin ?
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
23 Mar 2015
Total posts 52
That's me out of Etihad then! Singapore, Emirates and Qatar are definitely superior these days. EM still give you a car too. A friend flew Etihad J to Munich last month and was very underwhelmed by service and food. I think with all the petty cost saving going on, the staff are demotivated and Etihad have just lost the plot.
12 Aug 2017
Total posts 75
I am worried by the severity of Etihad cut-backs and huge losses. If a company is cutting back at some stage maintenance will be under pressure too.
03 May 2013
Total posts 672
Wonder which airline is going to hire James Hogan next??
UA
30 Jun 2015
Total posts 35
I just flew SYD-AUH-JFK return in F on the A380 and there were only two of us outbound to AUH and just myself inbound. AUH to JFK was full both ways. Residence empty on all legs. Can see the A380 disappearing from Sydney also.
22 Aug 2018
Total posts 1
I think I know why their economy seats are empty, having flown on one of the last A380's out MEL - AUH and a 777 on the way home.... The difference in the two flights was astonishing! Not just from the quality of the aircraft and comfort, but the service and meals too. Their after trip experience with customer service was appalling to say the least. Worst experience with an airline ever.
17 Sep 2015
Total posts 388
Nomadildi, don't doubt any of what you say: a fascinating post.
Hi Guest, join in the discussion on Etihad axes first class on Melbourne-Abu Dhabi flights