Summary

  • Etihad Airways launched flights to Bali, connecting Abu Dhabi to the Indonesian island.
  • The inaugural flight operated with a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, with a two-class layout of 290 seats.
  • The new route will operate four times weekly, offering a free hotel stay with Etihad’s Abu Dhabi Stopover program.

As the long, cold winter settles across southern Australia and New Zealand and the mid-year school holidays approach, the Indonesian island of Bali is one of the most popular places for singles and families to escape the cold. The arduous task of navigating Denpasar Airport’s arrivals hall will not be any easier this year now that Etihad Airways has launched flights to the internationally acclaimed tourist mecca.

A first-time connection

The national airline of the United Arab Emirates, Etihad Airways (Etihad), arrived on the Indonesian island of Bali on Wednesday after an overnight flight from Abu Dhabi. The inaugural flight marked the first flight connecting Abu Dhabi to Bali and the start of regular services between the two destinations.

Etihad Bali welcoming ceremony

Photo: Etihad

On Tuesday, June 25, 2024, Etihad Airways flight EY476 departed Abu Dhabi Zayed International Airport (AUH) at 23:11 and, after an 8:53-hour flight, landed in Bali at Denpasar Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS) at 12:05 on Wednesday. The flight was operated with a 2019 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, registration A6-BNC and MSN 42372.

Etihad Bali Launch flag waving

Photo: Etihad

The Dreamliner left Bali on June 26 at 19:27 and was back in Abu Dhabi at 23:46, where it parked overnight. Today, it will operate a return service to Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS), followed by a service to China’s Beijing Daxing International Airport (PKX). Recently, this 787-9 has flown on routes including Brussels, Karachi, Cairo, Frankfurt and Kuala Lumpur.

Related

Etihad Airways Plans To Operate Its Airbus A380 Fleet Through The Early 2030s

The airline has ten of the type and four are active.

Etihad is adding more routes

As with most international launches, there were celebrations at both ends of the flight, including the traditional water canon salute on arrival at Denpasar Airport. The new route will operate four times weekly using the 787 Dreamliners, configured in a two-class layout of 290 seats, with 28 in Etihad’s Business Studio and 262 in the economy cabin, featuring the airline’s E-Box entertainment system, in-seat power and in-flight WiFi connectivity.

Etihad 787 water cannon in Bali

Photo: Etihad

Etihad Chief Revenue and Commercial Officer Arik De said he was honored to be welcomed to the island and proud to bring a full flight on the inaugural journey into Bali, adding:

“We are thrilled to add Bali to the growing list of destinations we serve directly from Abu Dhabi. It becomes our second destination in Indonesia, adding to the capital Jakarta. We look forward to connecting our guests from the Middle East, Europe and across our global network with the Indonesian tropical island.”

Fleet data from ch-aviation shows that Etihad has 100 aircraft comprising both Airbus and Boeing jets. The narrowbody fleet includes 14 Airbus A320-200s, one A320neo, nine A321-200s, and two A321neos. The twin-aisle aircraft include two Airbus A330-200s, five A350-1000s, ten A380-800s and nine Boeing 777-300ERs, ten 787-10s, 33 787-9s and five 777-200F freighters.

Etihad Bali 787 Dreamliner Crew

Photo: Etihad

Making the new connection even sweeter is an offer to guests flying to Bali via Abu Dhabi, who can add a free hotel stay with Etihad’s Abu Dhabi Stopover program. Earlier in June, Etihad launched new routes to Al Qassim in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Jaipur in India, as well as summer seasonal flights to Antalya, Malaga, Mykonos, Nice and Santorini.

Have you been on an Etihad Dreamliner lately? Let us know in the comments.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *