ABU DHABI: Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways, the national carrier of UAE, has reached agreements with Boeing and Airbus to restructure “a large portion of its previous orders”, the airline said.
The airline said in a statement that it has committed to take delivery of five Airbus A350-1000s and 26 A321neos plus six Boeing 777-9s “over the coming years”.
The move is part of the airline’s turnaround strategy following two consecutive years of losses, said a Gulf News report.
It will also continue to take delivery of Boeing 787 Dreamliners, it said. The discussions to tweak the orders were initiated “following a comprehensive strategic review,” according to Etihad.
“The balance of the remaining orders will be defined at a later time through rescheduling, restructuring, or reduction,” a statement said.
“By restructuring a large portion of its previous orders, Etihad can now concentrate on the phased introduction of new aircraft types, enabling an efficient rationalization of its fleet, and building a network that connects Abu Dhabi to the world.”
According to a Reuters report that quoted Etihad documents and the manufacturers’ websites, Etihad had placed orders for 26 A321neos, 40 A350-900s and 22 A350-1000s, as well as eight 777-8s and 17 777-9s
