Etihad launches second A380 service to New York's JFK

Etihad Airways has launched a second daily Airbus A380 service to New York’s JFK Airport. All 14 weekly flights between the two cities are now operated by the double-decker aircraft.

The superjumbo has replaced a three-class Boeing 777-300ER previously operating one of the airline’s twice daily flights.

Etihad Airways launched daily nonstop flights to JFK, New York on 26 October, 2006, and introduced a second daily service in March 2014. It subsequently upgraded one of the daily flights to an A380 aircraft in November 2015.

Etihad Airways, chief executive officer, Peter Baumgartner: said: “The response we have received from our guests travelling between Abu Dhabi and New York since we first launched the A380 service two years ago has been phenomenal. We are delighted to further expand our world-leading product to all guests flying to and from the Big Apple.”

Guests flying on all Etihad Airways flights from Abu Dhabi to the airline’s six US ports of entry – New York JFK Airport, Washington, DC, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, and San Francisco – are processed through the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Preclearance facility available at Abu Dhabi International Airport.

This allows Etihad passengers to pass through all US immigration and customs checks in Abu Dhabi and arrive at their US destination as domestic passengers.