Etihad Airways has welcomed three new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft to its fleet to support its network expansion strategy. With the addition of these new aircraft, the national airline of the UAE is planning to fly to 125 destinations with over 160 aircraft by 2030.
The 787-9s will begin operations this month, helping Etihad to add multiple new destinations and expand frequencies into key markets. The arrival of the three new Dreamliners follows the new Boeing 787-10 received in October 2023, which added further capacity to support Etihad’s network expansion.
Etihad has also expanded across multiple markets with additional flight frequencies and improved connectivity across the network. The airline added new routes to Osaka, Copenhagen and Dusseldorf in quarter four of 2023, as well as Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram in the Kerala region of India on New Year’s Day.
Boeing’s 787 Dreamliners are up to 25% more fuel-efficient than many comparable aircraft of their size. In total, Etihad now operates 43 Dreamliners and a total fleet of 88 aircraft including the Airbus family and Boeing 777.
Etihad’s new 787 Dreamliner cabin interior offers a comfortable and spacious cabin environment in its award-winning signature style. The Business cabin features a unique and customised version of the Elements seat manufactured by Collins, which is also the first airline in the world to introduce this seat on the Boeing 787. The Business Suites provide guests with generous levels of space, comfort and privacy, with each seat having direct aisle access and reclining to a fully lie-flat-bed 78” in length.
In Economy, the newest 787 offers lighter and more fuel-efficient seats than the current fleet, with 217 standard seats and 54 Extra Legroom seats with four inches of additional legroom. The slimmer profile seats provide an increased feeling of space for every guest. The aircraft is fitted with a new connectivity solution from Viasat using Ka-band technology which offers high-speed Wi-Fi with streaming capabilities on board as well as Live TV, including news and sport channels. Through Etihad’s Wi-Fly, all Etihad Guest members can enjoy complimentary chat packages, while all guests can choose to purchase a full Surf package with unlimited data for the duration of the flight.
The new aircraft will help Etihad expand its network and provide a remarkable flying experience to its guests. Etihad’s commitment to Abu Dhabi is supported by bringing more guests to experience the incredible capital of the UAE.
