Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, celebrated the highly-anticipated arrival of its award-winning Airbus A380 service at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), welcoming and thanking guests travelling on the first flights between two of the world’s top travel destinations.

Yesterday marked the US debut of the airline’s exclusive A380 service, including The Residence by Etihad™, the only commercially available three-room suite in the sky, luxurious First Apartments, comfortable Business Studios and Economy Smart Seats. The A380 now serves guests travelling on one of the airline’s two daily flights between Abu Dhabi and New York.

“The arrival of our A380 service at JFK International Airport is an important milestone for Etihad Airways as we respond to increased demand from our guests travelling between Abu Dhabi and New York and it represents the significant growth our airline has undergone in just 12 years of operation,” said James Hogan, Etihad Airways’ President and Chief Executive Officer. “Etihad Airways has stayed ahead of the competition by providing our guests with the luxury, comfort, and hospitality they expect and deserve when they fly with us, and by remaining focused on continuing to transform the air travel experience across all cabins of service.”

Mr Hogan continued: “The revolutionary products found onboard Etihad Airways’ fleet of A380s completely reimagine commercial aviation standards and we are proud to bring them to our guests travelling between the US and Abu Dhabi.”

The introduction of the airline’s signature A380 travel experience comes just in time for the busy holiday travel season, as well as to serve guests travelling to the 2015 Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix taking place from 27 to 29 November 2015.

The inaugural Abu Dhabi to New York A380 flight EY 103 landed at JFK International Airport yesterday. The return JFK-AUH flight EY102 arrived into Abu Dhabi this afternoon.

Guests staying in The Residence by Etihad enjoy the ultimate in luxury travel, both on the ground and in the air. From a chauffeur-driven limousine service to Concierge Service and private check-in at the airport, every part of the travel experience is seamless and discreet. Guests of The Residence will also enjoy the airline’s newly opened First and Business Class Lounge, featuring a dedicated area for their exclusive use.

Located on the forward upper deck of the A380, The Residence is available for US$32,000 one way between Abu Dhabi and New York - for either single or double occupancy. The ultra-private, three-room suite features a living room with a 32” LCD monitor, bedroom with a double bed, separate en-suite shower room, and dedicated Butler trained at the Savoy Academy in London to look after the needs of its discerning guests. The revolutionary cabin also comes with a private chef ready to custom-create menus to order.

The nine First Apartments in First Class are private living spaces featuring a reclining Poltrona Frau leather lounge chair and ottoman, which opens up to become a separate 80.5 inch long fully-flat bed. This marks a 74 per cent increase in space from Etihad Airways’ current award-winning First Class Suites. Each Apartment features a 24-inch flat-screen television, a chilled mini-bar, personal vanity unit, and wardrobe. A fully equipped shower room is available for the exclusive use of First Class guests.

A total of 70 Business Studios, set in a 1-2-1 configuration, 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 per cent in personal space.

The Lobby, a luxurious lounge located between the First Class and Business Class cabins, features two comfortable leather sofas and a staffed bar serving a wide selection of hot snacks and refreshments, perfect for relaxing and socialising.

The main deck features 415 Economy Smart Seats which offer unique ergonomic fixed-wing headrests, lumbar support and an 11-inch personal, high-definition monitor screen to enjoy over 750 hours of on-demand movies and series, improved gaming and live TV programming via the state-of-the-art Panasonic eX3 entertainment system.

Also unique to Etihad Airways, the airline offers a dedicated inflight child care assistance programme for families, led by a Flying Nanny available onboard long-haul flights and trained by the world renowned Norland College.

Since its launch in 2013, the Flying Nanny has become a key feature on Etihad Airways’ long haul flights, providing a ‘helping hand’ to families and children and creating fun and memorable moments with games and activities.

The Residence by Etihad is exclusive to Etihad Airways’ fleet of A380s, which currently serve London’s Heathrow, Sydney and now New York’s JFK, with services to Mumbai and Melbourne scheduled to begin on 1 May 2016 and 1 June 2016, respectively. The airline’s A380 fleet will grow to a total of 10 aircraft.

Guests on all Etihad Airways flights from Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) to the airline’s six US ports of entry, including New York’s JFK Airport, are processed through the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Preclearance facility, which allows them to clear all US immigration and customs checks in Abu Dhabi and arrive at their US destination as domestic passengers. Other US airports served by Etihad Airways include Chicago (ORD), Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW), Los Angeles (LAX), San Francisco (SFO) and Washington’s DC (IAD).

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