Etihad's Growth Target with 16 New Airbus Orders

Etihad's Growth Move

With the improvement of global economic conditions, the Abu Dhabi-based airline Etihad has placed an order for a total of 16 new aircraft from Airbus. The order includes six A330-900, seven A350-1000, and three A350F freighters. The two companies have not yet disclosed the cost of the agreement; however, it is known that airlines usually negotiate lower prices for large orders.

Etihad achieved a record profit of 476 million dollars in 2024. This profit forms part of the Abu Dhabi-based airline's financial recovery. Nevertheless, this profit is quite low compared to the record profit of 5.2 billion dollars that Emirates earned in the previous fiscal year. However, this situation represents an important transformation for Etihad.

Founded in 2003 to compete with Emirates, Etihad immediately entered a period of rapid growth. However, Etihad faced difficulties with its business plan and had to take cost-cutting measures even before the coronavirus pandemic. Since 2016, Etihad has attempted to compete with Emirates and Qatar Airways by purchasing stakes in airlines from Europe to Asia, incurring losses of approximately 6 billion dollars.

This week, Emirates ordered 65 units of Boeing’s new 777-9 aircraft. The value of this order is estimated at 38 billion dollars according to list prices. Tim Clark, President of Emirates, acknowledged delays in the delivery of the 777-9 but stated that he believes their large orders will also impact President Donald Trump's administration.

Clark added, “I think the pressure on Boeing from Congress will intensify; this is important for accelerating production.” He continued, “Especially the construction of the 9X model in Seattle will provide decades of employment in the Northwest.”

In addition to Emirates, he emphasized that its low-cost subsidiary named FlyDubai would also find opportunities to open more routes with new aircraft. Dubai plans to expand Al Maktoum International Airport with a 35 billion dollar project; this project aims to be completed within the next decade and will include five parallel runways and 400 aircraft gates. Clark stated, “We will have the ability to reach every corner of the world.”