ABU DHABI – Etihad Airways (EY) has decided to invest nearly $1 billion to retrofit its older Boeing 777 and 787 Dreamliner fleets, aiming to maintain product consistency across its widebody fleet.
Starting at the end of 2025, this retrofit program comes alongside delays in the delivery of the Boeing 777X.
Addressing Fleet Consistency
Antonoaldo Neves, Etihad’s CEO, confirmed the $1 billion retrofit initiative during an interview with The National, emphasizing the airline’s aim of maintaining uniformity across its widebody fleet, except for the Airbus A380s.
“We’re going to retrofit even the planes that don’t need a retrofit, but we believe it’s important for the airline to have consistency across the fleet.”
Antonoaldo Neves
The retrofit program will upgrade the cabins of around 50 Boeing aircraft, including nine B777-300ERs and 43 B787s. Key upgrades will include new business class seats, updated IFE systems, and high-speed internet. This will offer a seamless experience across its fleets including the new Airbus A350-1000.
According to the airline, the project’s timeline has been pushed due to supply chain issues. Neves indicated that the availability of new seats will affect the timeline of retrofitting. While the program is set to commence by the end of 2025, significant cabin overhauls will not begin until 2026.
Boeing 777X Delivery Delays
Etihad’s retrofit initiative is partly due to delivery delays from Boeing. The B777X, originally scheduled to enter into service in 2020, has been postponed multiple times, with its debut now expected in 2026.
While the Gulf carrier placed an order for 25 Boeing 777X aircraft in 2013, the airline currently excludes the model from its five-year plan. Instead, the carrier retains the flexibility to modify its fleet strategy, including acquiring additional Boeing 787 Dreamliners.
Fleet Expansion Plans
The retrofit is part of the carrier’s broader $7 billion investment plan, which includes the addition of new aircraft, and routes alongside expansion plans. Etihad also aims to expand its fleet from 102 aircraft to approximately 150 by 2030.
Etihad’s current order book includes:
- 20 Boeing 787-10s and 8 Boeing 787-9s.
- 17 Boeing 777-9s and 8 Boeing 777-8s.
- 15 Airbus A350-1000s and 7 A350 freighters.
- 21 Airbus A320/321 narrowbody jets.
The airline is also exploring the possibility of new widebody orders, with discussions ongoing with both Airbus and Boeing.
Stay tuned with us. Further, follow us on social media for the latest updates.
Join us on Telegram Group for the Latest Aviation Updates. Subsequently, follow us on Google News.
