Etihad continues to grow its fleet, with its first Dreamliner commencing operations less than a month after its inaugural A380 aircraft took off.
The first Etihad Boeing 787-9 flight, departed Abu Dhabi at 02.15 as flight EY23 for the seven hour 25 minute flight to Düsseldorf, Germany. The flight arrived at 06.40 the same morning. The return service from Düsseldorf to Abu Dhabi departed at 10.20 with a scheduled arrival time of 19.50 in Abu Dhabi.
A special ribbon-cutting ceremony was held prior to the aircraft’s departure and gift packs were handed to guests on the inaugural flight. In a goodie bag were luggage tags, passport holders and commemorative 787 certificates.
Etihad Airways’ new B787 interiors feature eight First Suites, 28 Business Studios and 199 Economy Smart Seats, offering superior levels of comfort, entertainment and in-flight connectivity.
On-board décor and lighting has been inspired by contemporary modern Arabian design, complementing the new ‘Facets of Abu Dhabi’ design identity recently introduced by the airline.
Etihad Airways’ order for two variants of the B787 (-9 and -10), is one of the largest for the type, totalling 71 aircraft.
The airline will place the aircraft on other key medium and long-haul routes such as Washington DC, Mumbai, Moscow and Brisbane, with more destinations being added as the airline takes delivery of more of the type. The airline will also begin taking delivery of B787s in a two-class configuration from 2016.
The wide-body Boeing 787-9 is a stretched version of the advanced medium to long-range twin engine B787-8, with a range of up to 8,300 nautical miles and a cruising speed of Mach 0.85. It is 206 feet in length and has a wingspan of 197 feet.
Additionally, the aircraft features Etihad’s new livery. The new paint work represents ‘facets of the desert’, with shades of orange and brown painted across the plane.
The airline’s chief executive, James Hogan said it is a ‘tremendous milestone’ for Etihad to launch 787 flights.
“It will provide us with a clear reduction in operating costs and carbon emissions, at maximum reliability and efficiency.”
James Hogan, Etihad chief executive
Earlier this month Etihad held a similar ribbon-cutting ceremony to commemorate the launch of its first A380 service.
Flight EY11 flew from Abu Dhabi to Heathrow in London.
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