Etihad Airways A380 lands at Mumbai Airport

Etihad Airways' jumbo Airbus A380 arrived on Sunday at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA) to mark Maharashtra Day.

Gulf based airline's A380 will operate daily on EY204 from Abu Dhabi to Mumbai. Though the plane did not receive the traditional water canon salute today due to water shortage in several parts of Maharashtra.

Globally, when an airline starts its operations to a particular airport or flies a new aircraft, a water canon welcome is given from two fire tenders when the plane lands at the destination airport.

In November 2015, the airline, which holds 24% stake in domestic carrier Jet Airways, announced its plans to operate daily its double Decker A380 on the Abu Dhabi-Mumbai route from May 1.

What is Airbus A380?

World's largest passenger airliner, A380 is a double-deck, wide-body, four engine jet airliner manufactured by Airbus. Till now, two international carrier-- Singapore Airlines and Emirates fly A380 to Mumbai.

Etihad A380 route:

According to the company's press release, the aircraft will operate daily on flight EY204 from Abu Dhabi to Mumbai, and EY203 from Mumbai to Abu Dhabi, both of which carry the 9W code of Jet Airways, Etihad Airways’ strategic partner. The flights connect seamlessly with Etihad Airways’ A380-operated services to New York.

Guests onboard Etihad Airways’ A380 service will also have access to popular connecting destinations over Abu Dhabi such as Chicago, San Francisco or Toronto in North America, and Bahrain, Doha or Jeddah in the Gulf region.

Features:

Etihad Airways’ unique A380s can carry 496 passengers in a four-class configuration – The Residence, First Apartments, Business Studios and Economy Smart Seats.

The Residence by Etihad features a living room, separate ensuite shower room, double bedroom, and a dedicated Savoy-trained Butler.

It features a large 32” LCD monitor in the living room and a separate 24” version in bedroom.

Measuring 125 square feet in total, The Residence by Etihad is located on the forward upper deck of the A380 and is available for single or double occupancy.

The nine First Apartments in First Class are private living spaces featuring a reclining lounge chair and an ottoman, upholstered in Poltrona Frau leather, which opens up to become a separate 80.5 inch long fully flat bed.

A fully equipped shower room is available for the exclusive use of First Class guests.

Seventy Business Studios are located on the upper deck of the A380, all offering direct aisle access, a fully flat bed of up to 80.5 inches long, and an increase of 20% in personal space.

The main deck features 415 Economy Smart Seats, which provide enhanced comfort with a unique ‘fixed wing’ headrest on each seat, adjustable lumbar support, a seat width of approximately 19 inches, and an 11.1” personal TV monitor.