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…

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 Desg | Dept Arp | Dept Time | Arvl Arp | Arrv Time | Freq |
EY 402 | AUH | 22:50 | BKK | 08:20 | Daily |
EY 403 | BKK | 20:15 | AUH | 23:30 | Daily |
EY 404 | AUH | 10:30 | BKK | 20:00 | Daily |
EY 405 | BKK | 02:25 | AUH | 06:00 | Daily |
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…

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…

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?

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:
Date | 2019 Numbers | 2021 Numbers | 2022 Numbers | 2023 Numbers | Percentage Difference (2023 vs. 2022) OR 2022 vs. 2021 if 2023 is N/A |
December 3-10 | 247 movements | 138 movements | 172 movements | N/A | +24.64% |
December 10-17 | 256 movements | 136 movements | 172 movements | N/A | +26.47% |
December 17-24 | 255 movements | 138 movements | 170 movements | N/A | +23.19% |
December 25-January 1, 2023 | 257 movements | 101 movements | 164 movements | 170 movements | 2023 vs. 2022: +3.66% 2022 vs. 2021: +62.38% |
Overall…

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.