Aviation

Etihad Airways is set to start flying to Guangzhou next month

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – Etihad Airways is set to start flying to Guangzhou next month, becoming the first international airline to operate long-haul passenger services to the top three Chinese gateways since the start of the pandemic.

Subject to regulatory approvals, the twice-weekly passenger service to Guangzhou will start on 10 October, initially using a two-class Boeing 777.

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The new route means Etihad will be offering guests convenient access to three Chinese gateways as Guangzhou is added to existing services to Shanghai which resumed in July 2020 and Beijing, which resumed in June 2022.

Martin Drew, Etihad’s Senior Vice President of Global Sales and Cargo, said: “We are proud to offer our guests the third destination in China as Etihad Airways begins flights to the pivotal and historic port city of Guangzhou. As well as being a modern and rapidly growing city itself, Guangzhou has excellent connections with the Greater Bay Area.

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“Our twice-weekly service will further address the huge demand for passenger travel between the UAE and China, as well as provide new cargo capacity, building on the formidable people and business ties between the two markets.”

With the addition of these new services from 10 October, Etihad will offer four weekly flights between Abu Dhabi and China: two services per week to Guangzhou and weekly services to Beijing and Shanghai.

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Those wishing to book are advised to visit Etihad.com, and to remain informed on the relevant entry regulations at their end destination.

Aviation

Airbus Enhances A350 Cabin with 10-Abreast Seating

Airbus has announced a new partnership with Jiatai Aircraft Equipment, a Chinese aircraft seating manufacturer, to supply upgraded economy-class seats for the A350 widebody series.

This collaboration, unveiled at the 2024 Airshow China, focuses on developing a newly designed economy seat tailored for the A350‘s New Production Standard (NPS) cabin.

One of the key features of the NPS cabin is the ability to accommodate 17-inch wide economy seats, compared to the previous 16.5-inch wide seats that airlines were limited to in the A350’s earlier configurations.

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This change is made possible by the expanded space in the NPS cabin, which is 35 inches longer and 4 inches wider than the previous version. This extra space is achieved by slightly moving the cockpit wall forward and shifting the rear pressure bulkhead back by one frame.

The wider cabin allows airlines to add up to 30 extra economy seats without compromising comfort. For airlines opting for a 3-4-3 seating layout, the 17-inch wide seats are an excellent choice for a more comfortable passenger experience. However, some airlines, such as Iberia, may choose to retain a 9-abreast layout with wider seats for added comfort.

The NPS cabin also offers enhanced flexibility for airline operators. One major advantage is the ability to easily switch between a 9-abreast and 10-abreast seating configuration without requiring significant downtime for aircraft reconfiguration. Airlines can use the same seat rails, tracks, and IFE interfaces, making the transition smoother and quicker.

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In addition, the design of the floor attachments and air-conditioning systems has been optimized for 10-abreast seating, meaning airlines can upgrade their cabins without needing to make substantial modifications to the aircraft’s structure.

Though it’s still unclear when Jiatai’s economy-class seats will be officially added to the A350’s Buyer Furnished Equipment (BFE) catalogue, the collaboration marks a significant step toward enhancing the A350’s cabin offerings.

With this partnership, Airbus is providing more seating options for airlines, ensuring that they can meet diverse customer needs while improving overall operational efficiency.