Etihad alters flight schedule to better connect India and America

Etihad Airways has announced a number of schedule changes to the airline’s flights between its Abu Dhabi hub and Chicago, New York, and Toronto, which will start on Sunday, March 29, 2015.

The airline said move was to provide “convenient schedule options for UAE passengers travelling to North America, enhance overall connectivity for flights to and from the Indian Subcontinent, and establish new connections to key markets such as Dhaka, Kathmandu, and Kolkata”.

The new times also all connect with key Etihad Airways’ Indian Subcontinent destinations which include Colombo, Delhi, Karachi, Lahore, and Mumbai.

“Demand for travel between the Indian Subcontinent and North America continues to grow year-on-year and we’re delighted to change our schedule in order to support this requirement and to increase the travel options for our guests,” said Kevin Knight, Etihad Airways’ Chief Strategy and Planning Officer.

The schedule changes include the daily EY151 flight to Chicago moving from a 9.30am departure to 3.40am and the three flights a week Toronto service, EY141, departing at 2.50am rather than the current time 10.25am.

Further, return flight EY150 from Chicago will arrive in Abu Dhabi at 12.20pm, and EY140 from Toronto will arrive at 12.05pm, which Etihad said will allow for faster connection times through the hub at a non-peak period.

The new schedule will see the return flight from New York, EY102, depart JFK three hours later than it currently does to ensure its arrival in Abu Dhabi to meet the early afternoon bank of flights to the Indian Subcontinent.

“The new schedule will create a more even balance of Etihad Airways’ flights to North America across the early morning and mid-morning banks. This will result in fewer passengers transiting through the hub at peak periods and will enhance the customer experience,” Knight added.

Passengers on the retimed outbound Chicago flight will continue to be processed through United States Preclearance at Abu Dhabi Airport, following the recent expansion of the facility’s hours of operation to include early morning flights to the US.

US Preclearance allows passengers to conveniently pass through all required checks including US customs, immigration and security while in Abu Dhabi before they board their flight, enabling them to avoid queues on arrival in the US and arrive as domestic passengers.

Passengers on all Etihad Airways flights from Abu Dhabi to the United States, which also includes Dallas-Fort Worth, Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York JFK, and Washington DC, are processed through US preclearance.

Etihad noted that its schedule changes for Chicago and Toronto have been made in conjunction with its key partners, American Airlines and Air Canada in North America, and Jet Airways in India.

The Abu Dhabi-based airline said its partner airlines will implement new codeshare flights as well as re-accommodate guests affected by the new schedule.

Chicago, New York JFK (EY101 / EY102), and Toronto flight schedule from 29 March 2015:

Flight

Freq.

Origin

Departure

Destination

Arrival

Aircraft

EY151

Daily

Abu Dhabi (AUH)

03:40

Chicago (ORD)

09:35

B777-300ER

EY150

Daily

Chicago (ORD)

13:30

Abu Dhabi (AUH)

12:20

B777-300ER

EY141

Tue, Thu, Sat

Abu Dhabi (AUH)

02:50

Toronto (YYZ)

08:55

B777-300ER

EY140

Tue, Thu, Sat

Toronto (YYZ)

15:00

Abu Dhabi (AUH)

12:05

B777-300ER

EY101*

Daily

Abu Dhabi (AUH)

10:45

New York (JFK)

16:30

B777-300ER

EY102

Daily

New York (JFK)

15.30

Abu Dhabi (AUH)

12:30

B777-300ER

 * No changes to timings for EY101

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