Etihad says good bye to Abu Dhabi – San Francisco flight

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Etihad Airways regrets the suspension of its Abu Dhabi – San Francisco route, effective 29 October 2017. 

Etihad says general performance for Abu Dhabi – USA flights are at, or above, commercial target, however one may argue problems created by the Trump Administration disallowing laptops on Etihad flights to the U.S., threat of a travel ban by the United States against six Muslim countries, and the current crisis around Qatar may have contributed to this decision. Etihad is usually a very attractive carrier to serve flights to the U.S. since US immigration and customs clearing is in Abu Dhabi. Therefore flights arriving in the United States from Abu Dhabi will be treated like domestic flights.There is no customs or border control anymore on US soil. A majority of Etihad passengers originate in countries other than the United Arab Emirates. India, Iran, Pakistan, GCC countries, and many African travelers use Etihad to connect to North America through Abu Dhabi.

For San Francisco, the airline stated in a press release, lower than planned yields and load factors have significantly reduced the route’s profitability. The aircraft currently serving San Francisco will be redeployed across the airline’s network. 

Etihad said in the same statement, the airline remains strongly committed to its other US services, which are performing at, or above, commercial targets. The airline has made other previously announced service changes throughout its global network to better align capacity and demand amid downward pressure on yields and greater competition. 

Guests holding bookings from San Francisco after 29 October will be rebooked on partner carriers to connect with Etihad Airways’ flights from its other US gateways at Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Los Angeles, New York JFK or Washington Dulles.  Guests are also being offered the option of a full refund.  

Etihad Airways extends its thanks to local travel trade partners, suppliers and officials at San Francisco International Airport and the City of San Francisco, as well as the airline’s employees in the city for supporting the route over the past three years. 

The Abu Dhabi – San Francisco route was launched in November 2014 as a daily service. Frequency was reduced to three-times-a-week earlier this year.

About the author

Avatar of Juergen T Steinmetz

Juergen T Steinmetz

Juergen Thomas Steinmetz has continuously worked in the travel and tourism industry since he was a teenager in Germany (1977).
He founded eTurboNews in 1999 as the first online newsletter for the global travel tourism industry.

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