Etihad Airways facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Etihad Airways

An Etihad Airways Airbus A350-1000
Founded	July 11, 2003; 22 years ago (2003-07-11)
Commenced operations	November 5, 2003; 21 years ago (2003-11-05)
Hubs	Zayed International Airport
Frequent-flyer program	Etihad Guest Etihad One Club
Subsidiaries	Air Arabia Abu Dhabi (51%)
Fleet size	107
Destinations	120
Parent company	Etihad Aviation Group
Headquarters	Khalifa City, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Key people	Mohamed Ali Al Shorafa (chairman) Antonoaldo Neves (CEO)
Revenue	US$6.8 billion (2025)
Profit	US$544 million(2025)
Employees	10,000 (2025)

Etihad Airways is one of the two main airlines of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Its main office is in Khalifa City, Abu Dhabi, which is close to Zayed International Airport. The airline started flying in November 2003. It is the second-largest airline in the UAE, after Emirates.

Etihad Airways flies over 1,000 times a week. It goes to more than 120 places for passengers and cargo. These places are in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia, and North America. The airline has a fleet of 107 Airbus and Boeing planes. Its main base is at Zayed International Airport. Besides flying passengers, Etihad also runs Etihad Holidays and Etihad Cargo.

History of Etihad Airways

How Etihad Started

The city of Abu Dhabi used to own part of Gulf Air with other countries. Zayed International Airport was a main base for Gulf Air for many years. But in 2005, the UAE decided to leave Gulf Air. This led to the idea of starting a new airline just for Abu Dhabi.

In July 2003, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who later became the UAE president, decided to create Etihad Airways. He wanted a national airline for Abu Dhabi. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saif Al Nahyan helped start the airline with a lot of money. The first special flight was on November 5, 2003, to Al Ain. Commercial flights began on November 12, 2003, with a flight to Beirut, Lebanon.

What "Etihad" Means

The word Etihad means "union" or "unity" in Arabic. This name shows the idea of the seven emirates of the United Arab Emirates working together. These emirates are Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah, and Fujairah.

Growing the Fleet

In June 2004, Etihad ordered many new planes. This included six Boeing 777-200s and 24 Airbus planes. Among the Airbus planes were 10 huge Airbus A380s. Etihad received its first A380 in December 2014.

Later, in June 2008, Etihad ordered even more planes. They ordered 35 Boeing 787s and 10 Boeing 777s. In 2011, Etihad announced that it made a profit for the first time. This showed their plan was working well.

A now-retired Airbus A340-500 with an older design.

Working with Other Airlines

Etihad Airways used to have partnerships with other airlines. This meant they owned a small part of these companies. For example, in 2011, Etihad bought a part of Air Berlin. They also bought parts of Air Seychelles, Aer Lingus, and Virgin Australia.

In 2013, Etihad also bought a part of Jat Airways, which then became Air Serbia. They also bought a part of Jet Airways in India. Later, in 2014, Etihad bought a part of Darwin Airline (which became Etihad Regional) and Alitalia in Italy.

Etihad also created its own group of airlines called Etihad Airways Partners in 2015. However, this group stopped working in 2018 because some of the airlines had money problems. Over time, Etihad has sold its shares in most of these airlines. For example, they sold their part of Air Seychelles in 2021. In 2023, the Serbian government bought back all shares of Air Serbia from Etihad.

Challenges and Recovery

Like many airlines, Etihad faced challenges. In 2016 and 2017, the airline reported losses. This was partly due to problems with some of its airline investments, like Air Berlin and Alitalia.

In 2019, Etihad changed some of its large plane orders. They canceled orders for many Airbus A350s and Boeing 777X planes.

The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 caused big changes for airlines worldwide. Many flights were stopped. Etihad's passenger numbers dropped a lot. They also had to let go of some staff. There were talks about retiring their large Airbus A380 planes early. However, Etihad decided not to cancel its Airbus A350 orders.

In February 2021, Etihad Airways was the first airline to have all its pilots and cabin crew vaccinated against COVID-19. This helped them prepare for more flights.

Return to Flying High

In July 2022, Etihad announced that it made a good profit again. This was because more people started traveling. Etihad carried many more passengers in the first half of 2022 compared to 2021.

In October 2022, Etihad Airways became part of a company called ADQ. This brought Etihad and other travel companies under one owner.

Even though the large Airbus A380 planes were grounded during the pandemic, Etihad decided to bring some of them back. In 2023, four A380s started flying again, especially on the route to London Heathrow. More A380s returned to service in 2024 for routes to New York JFK and Paris Charles de Gaulle. They are also planned for Singapore Changi and Toronto Pearson in 2025.

Etihad Airways Airbus A380.

Etihad's Main Office

Etihad's main office is in Khalifa City, Abu Dhabi. It is very close to Zayed International Airport. The airline spent a lot of money in 2007 to build this new office and a training center.

How Etihad Works

Etihad is run by a group of leaders called a board of directors. This board makes important decisions for the airline. The current CEO (Chief Executive Officer) of Etihad Group is Antonoaldo Neves. He helps lead the company every day.

Etihad's Business Journey

Etihad Airways has grown a lot since it started. It made its first profit in 2011. Like many businesses, it has had ups and downs. For a few years, it faced financial challenges. However, in recent years, the airline has been doing much better and is making profits again. This shows how the airline has worked hard to improve its business.

Etihad's Slogans

Etihad Airways has used different slogans over the years:

• From Abu Dhabi to the World – This is their main slogan.
• The World Is Our Home, You Are Our Guest – Used in 2013.
• Flying Reimagined – Used in 2015, with a famous commercial featuring Nicole Kidman.
• Choose Well – Used in 2018.

Sponsoring Teams and Events

Etihad Airways sponsors many sports teams and events around the world. This helps people learn about the airline.

Current Team Sponsorships

Etihad sponsors teams in different sports:

• Anorthosis Famagusta FC (Football in Cyprus)
• Capital City Go-Go (Basketball in USA)
• Chennai Super Kings (Cricket in India)
• Girona FC (Football in Spain)
• Harlequins (Rugby in UK)
• Harlequins RL (Rugby in UK)
• Manchester City F.C. (Football in England) – Etihad also sponsors their stadium, which is now called "Etihad Stadium".
• Mumbai City FC (Football in India)
• Melbourne City FC (Football in Australia)
• New York City FC (Football in USA) – Etihad also owns the naming rights to their new stadium, Etihad Park.
• Scuderia Ferrari (Formula 1 motor racing in Italy)
• Washington Capitals (Ice hockey in USA)
• Washington Mystics (Basketball in USA)
• Washington Wizards (Basketball in USA)
• Al Nassr FC (Football in Saudi Arabia)

Etihad Stadium, the home ground of Manchester City F.C..

Etihad Airways sponsors Manchester City F.C.. This Boeing 787-9 plane has a special Manchester City design.

Event Sponsorships

Etihad also sponsors big events:

• They were the main sponsor for the 2009 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix car race.
• In 2008, they started sponsoring a stadium in Melbourne, Australia, which is now called Etihad Stadium.
• They sponsored the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship (a sport in Ireland) for many years.
• In 2014, Etihad partnered with Major League Soccer (MLS) in the United States.
• They sponsored the Etihad Airways GAA World Games in 2015 and 2016.

A now-retired Airbus A340-600 with a special design for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Etihad Cargo

Etihad Cargo is the part of Etihad Airways that carries goods and packages instead of people. They use special cargo planes, like the Boeing 777Fs. Etihad Cargo has a large facility at Zayed International Airport that can handle over 500,000 tons of cargo each year.

An Etihad Cargo Boeing 777F plane.

Where Etihad Flies

Etihad Airways flies to many places around the world. As of June 2023, it serves 81 passenger and cargo destinations. These are in Africa, Europe, North America, Asia, and Australia. All flights start from its main hub at Zayed International Airport.

Etihad has also added new routes. For example, they started flying to Tel Aviv, Israel, in April 2021. In November 2024, Etihad announced 10 new destinations as part of its expansion. These new places include Addis Ababa, Algiers, Atlanta, Chiang Mai, Hanoi, Hong Kong, Krabi, Medan, Phnom Penh, Taipei and Tunis.

Sharing Flights (Codeshare Agreements)

Etihad Airways works with many other airlines. This is called a codeshare agreement. It means you can book a flight with Etihad, but actually fly on a plane operated by one of their partner airlines. This gives passengers more choices for destinations.

Here are some of the airlines Etihad shares flights with:

Etihad's Planes (Fleet)

Etihad Airways uses a mix of planes from Airbus and Boeing. Their fleet includes smaller planes from the Airbus A320 family and larger, wide-body planes like the Airbus A350-1000, Airbus A380-800, Boeing 777, and Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Etihad temporarily stopped flying its 10 Airbus A380-800 planes. However, since 2023, some of these large A380s have returned to service. They are now flying on popular routes to places like London–Heathrow and New York–JFK.

An Etihad Airways Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner.

Plane Designs (Livery)

Etihad Airways planes have special designs painted on them. This design is called a livery.

Current Design (Facets of Abu Dhabi)

Etihad's current design, seen on an Airbus A380.

The current design, called Facets of Abu Dhabi, was first shown in September 2014. It has golden and silver triangle patterns on the tail and back of the plane. The Etihad logo is golden, and the UAE symbol is above the windows. The UAE flag is painted near the front door. The background color is a light beige, inspired by the Arabian desert.

Older Design (2003–2017)

Etihad's previous design, on a Boeing 777-300ER.

The older design had the UAE flag and a falcon symbol on the tail. It also had a golden Etihad logo on the windows. Red and golden stripes were painted along the side of the plane. You might still see a few planes with this older design.

What's Inside the Planes (Services)

Etihad Airways offers different types of cabins for passengers, from very luxurious to comfortable economy seats.

New Cabins

When Etihad introduced the Airbus A380 and Boeing 787 planes, they also brought in new cabin designs. These include:

• The Residence (only on the Airbus A380): This is a very special, private area for one or two people. It's like a small apartment in the sky, with a living room, a bedroom, and even a private bathroom with a shower! It used to come with a personal butler.
• The Apartment (only on the Airbus A380): These are First Class suites. Each one is a private space with a comfy reclining chair that turns into a bed. It also has a TV and a small bar.
• First Suite (on some Boeing 787–9s): These First Class suites offer a wide reclining chair that becomes a flat bed. They also have a dining table and a TV. Each suite has high sliding doors for privacy.
• Business Studio (on Airbus A380s and Boeing 787s): These seats are designed for business travelers. They are wide and can turn into a fully flat bed. Every seat has direct access to the aisle.
• Economy Smart Seat (on all planes): These are the standard economy seats. They are comfortable with good legroom and have a touch screen for entertainment.

The old "Pearl Business Class" cabin on an Etihad Airbus A340-500 in 2007.

Previous Economy Class seats on an Etihad Boeing 777-300ER in 2006.

Etihad Airways offers their The Residence product on their Airbus A380-800s. The Residence apartments are equipped with a bedroom, living room, and an en-suite shower room.

The Etihad First Apartment on Airbus A380-800.

The Etihad Business Studio on Airbus A380-800.

Movies and Games on Board (In-flight Entertainment)

Etihad planes have entertainment systems with movies, TV shows, and games. On some newer long-range planes, you can even watch live TV and use broadband internet.

In 2019, Etihad decided to remove the seat-back screens from the economy section of some of its smaller planes used for shorter flights. Instead, passengers can use their own devices to watch entertainment. Atlas is the name of the airline's official magazine that you can read on board.

Etihad Guest Program

Etihad Guest is Etihad's special program for frequent flyers. It started in 2006. Members can earn points when they fly, which they can use for discounts, extra baggage, or even free tickets and upgrades. Senior citizens from the UAE can also get special benefits like more air miles and priority check-in.

Etihad also works with other airlines' loyalty programs, like AAdvantage from American Airlines and Eurobonus from Scandinavian Airlines. This means members of those programs can earn and use points on Etihad flights too. You can also earn Etihad miles when you book hotels through booking.com.

Safety Record

Etihad Airways has a very good safety record. As of 2025, the airline has not had any fatal accidents involving passengers. There was one incident in 2007 where a new plane was damaged during testing on the ground before it was delivered to Etihad. No passengers were on board, but some people working on the plane were injured.

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See also

In Spanish: Etihad Airways para niños