It doesn’t feel like too long ago that the onset of the coronavirus pandemic was condemning the Airbus A380 to what, at the time, looked like a very early retirement at most operators. However, while some airlines did leave their superjumbos behind amid the global health crisis, the global A380 fleet has largely bounced back, and a spectacular flypast this weekend showed that it is back from the dead.

The display in question took place on Sunday in the United Arab Emirates, ahead of the Formula One season finale at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. UAE flag carrier Etihad is the title sponsor of this event, and, as it has done since the event was first held 16 years ago, the airline took part in a pre-race flypast. This year’s iteration involved the Airbus A380, which, at Etihad, is a palace in the skies.

Flypast At The Formula One

While the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix made headlines around the world for its on-track action, which saw British driver Lando Norris clinch his first world title after a third-place finish, there was plenty of excitement in the skies before the race. Most notably, as pictured above, Etihad Airways performed a flypast over the Yas Marina Circuit, with one of its A380s flying in formation with the Al Fursan display team.

Etihad Airways explains that the pilots involved in the thrilling display « trained rigorously to perform the low-level fly past, » with the A380 flown by Captains Adel Al Zubaidi, Azizan Bin Othman, Harris Kynigos, and Abdulla Alafeefi. The colored smoke emitted by the Al Fursan jets that trailed the superjumbo reflected the flag of the UAE, with Arik De, Etihad’s Chief Revenue and Commercial Officer, saying:

« The fly-past over Yas Marina Circuit is a tradition which Etihad began with the first race in Abu Dhabi in 2009. We’re honoured to see the Etihad livery fly over this spectacular circuit. »

Etihad’s A380 Is A Flying Palace

While the uncertainty that plagued the airline industry at the start of the decade certainly didn’t do the Airbus A380 any favors, Etihad, more than any other operator, has shown that the extra space on board is worth the investment with its luxurious cabins. The most notable example of this is ‘The Residence,’ a three-room first class suite at the front of the upper deck that, as pictured, features a full double bed.

According to aeroLOPA, The Residence measures 125 square feet (11.6 square meters), and features a lounge with a two-seat sofa and a 32-inch screen, a shower room with a toilet and a full-length wardrobe, and a bedroom with the aforementioned bed and a 27-inch screen. Behind it on the upper deck, there are nine first class suites and 70 business class flatbeds, while the lower deck has 405 economy seats.

Current scheduling data made available by Cirium, an aviation analytics company, shows that Etihad is deploying the Airbus A380 on four routes from its Abu Dhabi (AUH) hub this December. These serve Paris (CDG), Singapore (SIN), and Toronto daily, and London Heathrow (LHR) up to three times a day. This usage, combined with its Formula One flypast, shows that, for Etihad, the A380 is here to stay.

Etihad Also Celebrated The Winners Of Its Loyalty Challenge This Weekend

Away from the excitement of the flypast and the race itself, Etihad Airways, as the title sponsor of the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, was also keeping itself busy with plenty of other commercial engagements. For instance, the carrier notes that « eligible Etihad Guest members enjoyed access to exclusive trackside Hospitality on the Hill, » with Etihad also putting on a culinary showcase in the F1 race village.

Most notably, however, the event also served as the setting for the prizegiving ceremony for the Etihad Guest Extraordinary Challenge. This loyalty initiative saw members race to visit 15 new Etihad destinations, with the winner, runner-up, and third-placed participant respectively receiving five million, three million, and one million Etihad Guest miles. Almost 50,000 people signed up to take part.