The existing Etihad Airways Dublin-Abu Dhabi twice daily A330-200 service will, from 15th January 2019, become a once daily B777-300ER service. ITTN understands that Etihad’s ground handling staff at Dublin Airport are being let go.
In addition, Dave Walsh, previously Etihad’s General Manager in Malaysia, will be joining eTravel as Managing Director from 1st November 2018, while Sinéad Kilkelly, who was nine years at Etihad Aviation Group in Abu Dhabi, where she held the post of Vice President People Services, will join Bus Éireann at the end of August to take up the role of Chief People Officer, reporting directly to the Chief Executive.
Etihad’s B777-300ER is configured to carry 412 passengers, with 28 in Business Class and 384 in Economy Class. Due to the higher capacity of the Boeing wide-body aircraft, seat capacity between Abu Dhabi and Dublin will see a reduction of only 20%, but it reduces the connectivity options that passengers had under the two flights per day schedule and can lead to longer layover times while transiting through Abu Dhabi.
Etihad said that, along with travel agency partners, it will work closely with any passengers affected to notify them of the changes to their itineraries and to re-accommodate them on alternative flights.
