Etihad to launch new aircraft on Joburg route.

ETIHAD Airways will
deploy its A330-200 on
the Johannesburg route
from April 1, replacing
the Jet Airways configured
aircraft. From November the
airline will operate its new
Boeing 787 Dreamliner to
Johannesburg.
Using the Jet Airways
aircraft under the Etihad
banner has been a challenge
as Etihad cannot guarantee
the same service, says
Geraldine Boshoff, Sure
Travel marketing manager.
Travellers complained
on TripAdvisor that the
seats were smaller and
closer together and that
the experience was overall
substandard. One traveller
said: “Avoid, avoid, avoid!
This is a huge scam.
You think you are flying
Etihad and instead you are
subjected to the cramped
planes and horrendously bad
service level of Jet Airways.”
Etihad deployed the Jet
aircraft on the Johannesburg
route in October 2014.
Although the aircraft is
operated by Etihad crew and
the in-flight entertainment
is provided by Etihad, the
airline still made sure it
notified consultants on
the GDS of the fact that
they would be booking
an Etihad flight on a Jet
Airways aircraft, important
information that is crucial for
agents to pass on to their
clients, says Geraldine.
Etihad Airways’ new
Dreamliner will feature 28
Business Studios with fully
flat beds of up to 205cm
long and 271 Economy
Smart seats. It will feature
the latest Panasonic eX3
entertainment system,
providing more than 750
hours of on-demand
entertainment, improved
gaming, and high-definition
screens across all cabins.
The aircraft also has full
mobile and WiFi service.
James Hogan, president
and ceo of Etihad Airways,
says Johannesburg is among
the airline’s most popular
markets. “Today’s travellers
are looking for greater
comfort, higher standards,
more choice and better
convenience as priorities in
their decision-making and
we, at Etihad Airways, are
striving to meet their high
expectations.”