Etihad unveils first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner

Dubai: Etihad Airways unveiled in the United States on Saturday its first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, featuring the airline’s new livery. The new livery was first unveiled in Hamburg, Germany, last week where the airline showed off its first Airbus A380.

Etihad has 71 Dreamliners on order, including 41 787-9s.

The Dreamliner will feature the airline’s new premium class offering, ‘First Suite’, as well as the new ‘Business Studio’, and the Economy ‘Smart Seat’, which were unveiled earlier this year in Abu Dhabi.

Etihad has heavily invested in its new premium offering, which includes a butler service on the A380s, while older aircraft will be retrofitted with the new livery.

Etihad’s first Dreamliner will be delivered to Abu Dhabi in December with the aircraft initially set to operate on routes between Abu Dhabi and Dusseldorf, and between Abu Dhabi and Doha. Services to Brisbane, Mumbai, Moscow and Washington D.C. are expected follow in the first half of next year.

Earlier this month, Etihad’s Chief Financial Officer, James Rigney, said the airline was on track to raise $2 billion this year to be predominantly used to fund new aircraft deliveries.