Etihad (finally) puts Wamos aside: starting March 7, it will return to flying to Rome only with its own planes

For almost a year it is a 'halved' Etihad that is operating from its Abu Dhabi hub to Rome Fiumicino. As of February 1, 2025, in fact, one of the two flights over the Italian capital is actually operated not by an aircraft from the Gulf 'big' fleet, but By an Airbus A330-200 from the Spanish airline Wamos., specializing in chartering aircraft to other carriers.

The move to Wamos was prompted by the concurrence of several factors, including the Emirati operator's network expansion and problems with its Dreamliners, the latter a factor that has plagued several operators around the world. To be 'outsourced' had been the rotation with flight numbers EY 83 and EY 84, that is, taking off from Abu Dhabi in mid-afternoon, arriving in the early evening at Fiumicino and then departing for the Gulf at 10 p.m., with arrival in the Gulf expected at 7:05 a.m. the next morning.

The employment of Wamos was initially announced until December 31., but it will actually extend until next March 6, when a Boeing 787-9 with Etihad interiors and livery will return to operate the overnight connection between Rome and Abu Dhabi, flanking the 787-10 that makes the connection leaving the Italian capital airport in the morning.

Passengers who flew On Rome-Abu Dhabi over the past year. aboard Etihad's overnight flight found themselves (despite paying identical prices to the Etihad-operated morning flight) with an in-flight product inferior to that of the Emirates carrier, especially in Business Class.

The EY 83/EY 84 flight is operated at this time with two different A330-200s in Wamos colors: one with 20 seats in Business in a 1-2-1 configuration and 260 seats in Economy and one with 24 seats in a very outdated 2-2-2 configuration, which denies direct aisle access to passengers seated near the window, and 273 seats in Economy.

In addition to this, Wamos offers in Business a distance between rows ('pitch') of 58 inches (147cm), a seat width of 20 inches (51cm) and an IFE screen of 15.4 inches. In Economy, the distance between rows varies between 31 and 32 inches (79-81cm) and the screen of the IFE is only 9 inches, not to mention, speaking of Inflight Entertainment, that the content offered by Wamos is not the same as what passengers find on board Etihad.

All while, at Milan Malpensa, the Abu Dhabi carrier is instead operating one of its two daily flights with what (Airbus A380 aside) is to be regarded as its 'flagship,' viz. the Airbus A350-1000, which in Business deploys new suites equipped with sliding doors.

 

The Roman 'downgrade' will end from March 7, when a Boeing 787-9 from Etihad's fleet will take over EY 84 and EY 84 flights, guaranteeing Business passengers a 1-2-1 configuration with a seat spacing of 73 inches (185cm), a seat width of 22 inches (56cm) and an 18.5-inch IFE screen, of course with the full range of content from Etihad's 'E-Box' system. In Economy, the car shift will be felt less, from a comfort standpoint, even though the IFE's screen will increase from Wamos' 9 inches to 13.3. inches.