Etihad Airways Wants To Buy More Aircraft

Etihad Airways has done exactly the same thing, days after neighbouring Qatar Airways confirmed it would look to purchase more planes.

The Abu Dhabi-based carrier, which recently unveiled an order for next-generation Boeing widebodies as part of a visit from the President of the United States, Donald Trump, has also not ruled out further aircraft purchases.

Despite the 2010s bringing a fair degree of turbulence after several investments went wrong, Etihad Airways has now put in the hard yards to turn its fortunes around.

As the carrier looks towards Journey 2030, a new endeavour has been launched to grow the fleet, personnel, and routes. However, the continued delivery of new aircraft remains a requirement, but in a sustainable manner.

Speaking with Gulf News on the sidelines of a recent event, executives at the airline discussed the prospect of a new commercial aircraft order to help grow as a business moving forward, even after that highly documented deal for 28 jets.

The appetite for new aircraft is key, and the requirement will never go away. For Etihad Airways, there’s just as much focus on growth as there is on having flexibility and options when it comes to serving networks in the future.

Etihad Airways must be well-equipped in the fleet department to achieve its objectives in the coming decades. Many would consider the ambitions bold, but that’s the style of the carrier, which has newfound confidence after restructuring to improve itself.

Etihad Airways’ Most Recent Order

Etihad Airways has emerged mostly in headlines because of the highly reported new commercial aircraft order it placed with Boeing.

As part of that deal, the airline confirmed it would purchase 28 787 and 777X jets to elevate long-haul flying. These two newly produced fleet types bring truckloads of efficiency to any business that chooses to operate them.

Etihad Airways’ purchase of these planes is firmly oriented towards the future. The jets prior to this deal were already part of the backlog, but now, moving forward, their reliance on the types will increase.

The whole deal is about looking towards the future. Etihad Airways is aware that these planes will not be delivered in the next 12 to 24 months, but significantly beyond.

As a result, huge focus is placed on what happens beyond 2030 and what deliveries will occur to match what they’re forecasting as continued demand.

This puts them in a very exclusive bracket that sees Etihad Airways as one of the most important carriers not just in the Middle East but also on a global scale.

What direction Etihad Airways will take for its next commercial aircraft purchase after this latest Boeing deal remains to be seen, but quite clearly, its intent is to continue expanding and meeting available demand.