Etihad cancels Tbilisi route and delays Bucharest launch affecting 12 weekly flights

Disruption overview

Etihad Airways has canceled its planned Abu Dhabi-Tbilisi service and pushed the launch of Bucharest flights to 17 December 2026, affecting 12 planned weekly services from 1 June 2026. For passengers booked through Tbilisi International Airport and Bucharest Henri Coandă International Airport, that means manual refund processing, no-fee rebooking through 31 March 2027, and possible knock-on disruption across connecting journeys. Etihad says serious operational and fleet pressure is behind the cuts. Because the Bucharest route is EU-bound and the changes stem from the airline’s own decisions, some travelers may be able to claim up to $650 compensation under EC 261, while Tbilisi passengers should still be offered rerouting or refunds.

Disruption details

Passengers booked with Etihad Airways have faced immediate changes from 1 June 2026 after the airline canceled its Abu Dhabi-Tbilisi route and delayed the launch of its Abu Dhabi-Bucharest service. For travelers using Tbilisi International Airport or Bucharest Henri Coandă International Airport, that means rebooking, refund requests, and uncertainty around onward connections.

The bigger hit is Tbilisi. Etihad has removed the route from its schedule with immediate effect, ending what was meant to be an eight-times-weekly Airbus A321 service. The airline has not given an end date for the suspension, so this now looks closer to a withdrawal than a short pause.

That route had already drawn thousands of forward bookings, leaving many passengers without a direct Etihad option to the Georgian capital. Some travelers are now dealing with reworked itineraries, while others are trying to secure manual refunds after the change.

Bucharest is different. The service has not been canceled outright, but its launch has slipped from August 2026 to 17 December 2026. The planned frequency stays at four flights a week, but the delay removes the route from the busy summer and fall travel seasons.

In practical terms, the changes mean:

• The Tbilisi route has been canceled completely.

• The Bucharest route will now start on 17 December 2026 instead of August 2026.

• A total of 12 planned weekly services were affected across the two routes.

Etihad says the cuts are tied to serious operational constraints and fleet-management pressure. The airline is balancing aircraft availability, regulatory hurdles, and uneven demand across Eastern Europe and the Caucasus, and it appears to have pulled back before the network stretched too far.

That matters for passengers because this was not triggered by weather, strike action, or a wider security problem. These were internal commercial and operational decisions, which can affect how passenger rights apply on different routes.

The busiest impact has been felt around Tbilisi International Airport, with some knock-on pressure at Bucharest Henri Coandă International Airport as passengers look for alternatives. Etihad has paused automated booking-system refunds, so claims linked to the canceled Tbilisi flights and postponed Bucharest bookings are being handled manually.

The airline has also opened a no-fee rebooking window through 31 March 2027. If your trip included a connection beyond Abu Dhabi, it is worth checking every part of your booking, because one route change can affect the rest of your journey.

Etihad’s wider Eastern European and Central Asian expansion is still moving ahead, but not at full strength. Almaty, Baku, Yerevan, and Tashkent remain in the plan with reduced frequencies, which shows the pressure goes beyond just Tbilisi and Bucharest.

Your rights depend on the route. If your booking involved Bucharest, an EU destination, some passengers may have a stronger case under EC 261 because the disruption appears to come from the airline’s own operational decisions. Where that law applies, you may be entitled to up to $650 compensation. If you were booked on the Tbilisi route, compensation is less clear under that law, but you should still be offered rerouting or a refund, and care if you are left waiting.

Flight changes like this are stressful enough without having to work through the rules alone. If your Etihad Airways booking was affected, you can check your compensation with AirHelp in just 2 minutes and see what applies to your flight.

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