Etihad Airways Doubles Down in Bangkok

Photo Credit: Kyle Hayes/AviationSource
James Field - Editor in Chief 5 Min Read
5 Min Read

LONDON – Etihad Airways has announced that it will double its flight operations between Abu Dhabi and Bangkok, Thailand, this week. Let’s see how the airline is doing.

Route Information…


Photo Credit: Kyle Hayes/AviationSource

Effective March 26 this year, the airline will increase its frequencies from once daily to twice daily on this route.

Below is the scheduling that Etihad Airways intends to use:

Flt DesgDept ArpDept TimeArvl ArpArrv TimeFreq
EY  402AUH22:50BKK08:20Daily
EY  403BKK20:15AUH23:30Daily
EY  404AUH10:30BKK20:00Daily
EY  405BKK02:25AUH06:00Daily

This flight upgrade means that Etihad Airways will offer up to 14 flights per week to Bangkok, representing a significant investment into the area.

Executive Comments…


Photo Credit: Kyle Hayes/AviationSource

Commenting on this significant expansion was Etihad Airways’ Chief Revenue Officer, Arik De:

“With our convenient morning departure from Abu Dhabi, our second Bangkok flight has optimized timings for those UAE residents wishing to have a break in Thailand.”

“Moreover, the return departure from Bangkok allows those Thai residents to arrive in Abu Dhabi in the morning to have a head-start in exploring what the city has to offer regarding business and pleasure.”

“It further reaffirms our commitment to bringing more guests to enjoy Abu Dhabi.” 

Starting Off 2023 Right: A Reflection on 4Q22…


Photo Credit: Kyle Hayes/AviationSource

This expansion in flights to the Thai capital represents a strong start made by the carrier in 2023.

Etihad Airways ended 2022 on a positive note, especially through the expansion of its codesharing arrangement with Garuda Indonesia back in November.

Through this expanded deal, a staggering 42 destinations across both of their route networks are now covered under this arrangement, thus enabling expansion into different markets.

Back in October, Etihad Airways also operated its first flight using sustainable aviation fuel between Tokyo Narita and Abu Dhabi.

Sustainable aviation fuel is a big commitment for Etihad Airways, with the airline committing to net zero by 2050 and reducing its 2019 emissions by 50% by 2035.

So, they ended the year well, and they are definitely starting 2023 correctly.

Movements-Wise: 2023 of Exceeding Targets?


Data provided by RadarBox.com.

Etihad Airways has had a steady start to 2023, with the airline expected to operate 163 movements based on a seven-day rolling average between January 1-8.

This is a 21.64% increase compared to the same period in 2022 and is 65 movements stronger than in 2021 as well.

However, the airline does have some work to do in order to exceed pre-COVID numbers of 260 movements in 2019 and 254 in 2020.

Below is the last four weeks’ worth of data from Etihad Airways on the flight tracking website:

Date2019 Numbers2021 Numbers2022 Numbers2023 NumbersPercentage Difference (2023 vs. 2022) OR 2022 vs. 2021 if 2023 is N/A
December 3-10247 movements138 movements172 movementsN/A+24.64%
December 10-17256 movements136 movements172 movementsN/A+26.47%
December 17-24255 movements138 movements170 movementsN/A+23.19%
December 25-January 1, 2023257 movements101 movements164 movements170 movements2023 vs. 2022: +3.66%
2022 vs. 2021: +62.38%

Overall…


Photo Credit: Kyle Hayes/AviationSource

From the data above, it remains clear that Etihad Airways is definitely on the right trajectory to catch up to pre-COVID numbers.

They are an airline that is looking to recover as much of its flight network that was lost during COVID and from its own financial woes.

All eyes will be on Etihad Airways to see how 2023 will go for them and whether we can see some form of a significant increase in flights, revenue, and, therefore, profitability.

You Might Also Enjoy