Etihad Airways has officially launched daily Airbus A380 service between Abu Dhabi and Toronto Pearson Airport, marking a significant expansion in international travel capacity at Canada’s busiest airport. The move follows nearly two years of intensive planning and preparation between the airline and airport authorities.
The Airbus A380, the world’s largest passenger plane, began its regular service at Pearson in late June. This marks the second A380 to operate daily at the Mississauga airport, with Emirates having reintroduced its own daily A380 service on the Dubai-to-Toronto route in 2023, after originally bringing the aircraft to Pearson in 2009.
Pearson Airport spokesperson Sean Davidson explained that accommodating another A380 involved extensive logistical planning and infrastructure adjustments. The airport, built before the era of these superjumbo aircraft, required modifications to accommodate the A380’s distinctive features. For instance, jet bridges had to be adjusted to access both levels of the double-decker plane, which rises more than seven storeys high and has a wingspan of 80 metres.
“A single A380 arrival can mean processing over 1,000 bags and 500 passengers from one flight,” Davidson noted in a video posted on Pearson’s official X (formerly Twitter) account. He added that the addition of Etihad’s service has increased capacity on the Toronto-Abu Dhabi route by about 30 per cent, while doubling premium and first-class options—an area seeing rising demand.
Etihad’s A380 stands out not only for its scale but also its luxury. It features “The Residence,” the only three-room suite in the sky, complete with a private bedroom, en suite shower, and a separate living area. This exclusive experience sets a new benchmark for in-flight comfort and positions Pearson as a major hub for high-end international travel.
With a nose-to-tail length of 73 metres and a maximum takeoff weight of 560 tonnes, the A380 is an engineering marvel. While the plane can accommodate over 500 passengers in standard configurations, some layouts allow for as many as 850 travellers.
Pearson remains the only airport in Canada to host regular A380 service, reinforcing its role as a key gateway in North American aviation.