Etihad Airways (EY, Abu Dhabi International) is quietly acquiring new aircraft as it pursues a growth strategy that will see its fleet reach 170 aircraft by 2030, CEO Antonoaldo Neves told the Gulf News.
The executive said the airline had added 60 units, both bought and leased, to the fleet in recent years, a development that was deliberately kept under wraps.
"We are not in the announcement business […] about 200 and 300 planes," he told the newspaper. "Our business is to sell tickets. So every time we launch a new destination, we announce it." He did not say what types made up the 60 acquired units.
Neves' comments came after the carrier confirmed an order with Boeing on May 16, for 28 widebodies, during US president Donald Trump's state visit to the Middle East. The order is for B787 and B777X variants, although the carrier is yet to provide further details of the split. Neves also said the order for 28 units might not be the final number. It is also not clear if that order is a new commitment or just a repeat announcement of a previously placed order.
From just under 70 aircraft in 2022, Etihad Airways now operates 105 units. According to the ch-aviation Commercial Aviation Aircraft Data module, its fleet comprises fourteen A320-200s, one A320-200N, nine A321-200s, four A321-200Ns, two A321-200NX, two (wet-leased) A330-200s, six A350-1000s, ten A380-800s, five B777-200Fs, nine B777-300ERs, ten B787-10s, and thirty-three B787-9s.
Including the 28 widebodies ordered from Boeing, it expects to take delivery of a further 97 aircraft, including twenty A321-200NX(LR)s, fourteen A350-1000s, ten A350Fs, eight B777-8s, seventeen B777-9s, twenty B787-10s, and eight B787-9s.
The airline has been teasing a large widebody order since October 2024 when it said it was in exploratory talks with Airbus and Boeing. Meanwhile, it has embarked on a USD1 billion programme to retrofit the cabins of about 50 aircraft.
The retrofits are part of the airline's five-year USD7 billion investment plan that includes new aircraft, network changes, and new routes. Following supply chain issues, particularly with procuring business class seats and toilets, the retrofits will start only towards the end of 2025.
The carrier is also planning to undergo an initial public offering (IPO) in which it hopes to raise around USD1 billion. A report from March indicated that the IPO could take place in the second quarter of 2025.
