Etihad Launches Its First Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner Aircraft

Abu Dhabi carrier Etihad has rolled out its first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner (B787) aircraft, following the launch of its first A380 super jumbo jet last week.

“We have firm orders for more than 100 Boeing wide-body aircraft which include 41 787-9s and 30 787-10s,” said James Hogan, president and CEO of Etihad Airways Aviation Group.

“Our new fleet of B787s will set customer service expectations for the airline industry, delivering the highest levels of comfort and choice across all classes of service.”

The first Boeing 787-9 will be delivered in December this year, Etihad said in a statement.

More than 40 international routes have been identified for future operation by the airline’s Dreamliners, beginning with its flight between Abu Dhabi and Düsseldorf and Abu Dhabi and Doha.

Etihad will begin services to Brisbane, Mumbai, Moscow and Washington D.C. in the first half of 2015.

The airline has also revamped its product offering on the B787, with refinements in all three cabins.

The new First Suite on the B787 will offer guests more privacy with additional features such as a chilled mini-bar and 5-star cuisine prepared on board by chefs.

The new Business Studio will feature larger seats, all of which have direct aisle access and convert to a fully flat, pneumatically adjustable bed, while the Economy seats will have a new ‘fixed wing’ headrest.

The B787 will feature the latest Panasonic eX3 entertainment system, providing more than 750 hours of on-demand entertainment and improved gaming and high-definition screens in all cabins.

Etihad also unveiled its new branding at an event in Hamburg last week. The carrier will have geometric brown and gold branding on its tail that is inspired by Abu Dhabi’s architecture and the desert landscape, Hogan said.

The UAE national emblem is moved from the tail to the fuselage, next to the Etihad name, and the national flag is also moved forward near the cockpit, while the tips of the vast wings are coloured yellow.