Jet Airways (9W, Mumbai Int'l) has returned one of its three of its previously parked A330-200s, VT-JWM (c/n 923), to active service, albeit for new equity partner, Etihad Airways (EY, Abu Dhabi Int'l). A consequence of the airline's painful route-reduction measures of last year, the Indian carrier, still has two A330-200s sitting idle in India namely VT-JWL (c/n 901) and VT-JWN (c/n 932). The A330-200 will operate daily services from Abu Dhabi to Moscow Domodedovo and Mumbai on behalf of Etihad replacing A320-200s previously used on the two routes.

Etihad Airways (EY, Abu Dhabi Int'l) has set its initial A380-800 destinations as London Heathrow, New York JFK, Sydney Kingford Smith and Melbourne Tullamarine to be operated in a three class configuration. The first three A380s, part of a larger deal for 10 (with 5 options) signed with Airbus Industrie (AIB, Toulouse Blagnac) in 2008, are due for delivery during the course of 2014.

Etihad Airways (EY, Abu Dhabi Int'l) has announced that Miami Int'l, Campinas Viracopos and Quito Int'l have become part of its round-the-world freighter service offered with an Atlas Air (5Y, New York JFK) B747-8(F) operating on behalf of Etihad Cargo. As a result, the iconic route has now become Abu Dhabi Int'l - Hong Kong Chep Lap Kok - Chicago O'Hare - Miami - Viracopos - Quito - Amsterdam - Abu Dhabi. As part of plans to further its global reach, Etihad Cargo will add two A330-200(F)s to its fleet in 2013 and 2014 respectively.

Etihad Airways (EY, Abu Dhabi Int'l) has signed a long-term lease agreement with US-based Air Lease Corporation for one new Airbus A321-200 with sharklets, scheduled for delivery in April 2015. Once it has arrived, Etihad Airways estimates the A321, its tenth, will be deployed into service on short to medium-haul routes to the Middle East and India. The Emirati carrier is expecting its first A321-200 in November of this year.

Jet Airways (9W, Mumbai Int'l) will lease three of its Airbus A330-200s to Etihad Airways (EY, Abu Dhabi Int'l) as a means of trimming its bloated wide-body capacity, company officials have confirmed. Jet has decided to lease out an A330 to Etihad and plans to lease out two more this year. In addition, it will lease out three B777-300(ER)s to Turkish Airlines (TK, Istanbul Atatürk) that are currently on lease to Thai Airways International (TG, Bangkok Suvarnabhumi). Since axing loss-making flights to Johannesburg O.R. Tambo, New York JFK and Milan Malpensa, the Indian airline has had to park six of its Airbus A330s, leading to added costs of USD16.6 million.