Etihad Airways has taken supply of its first Airbus A321LR (lengthy vary) following ceremony on the Airbus Finkenwerder website, marking a transformational milestone within the airline’s fleet enlargement technique. The plane brings Etihad’s signature widebody expertise to brief and medium-haul routes, with premium cabins usually discovered solely on long-haul flights. That is the primary of 30 A321LR plane scheduled to hitch Etihad’s fleet.
Antonoaldo Neves, Chief Government Officer of Etihad Airways, mentioned: “At this time marks a rare second for Etihad as we welcome an plane that modifications the whole lot we thought potential on a single-aisle aircraft. The A321LR permits us to serve extra locations with the identical premium expertise our friends count on throughout all cabins, completely embodying our dedication to delivering luxurious at each altitude.”
Redefining Narrowbody Journey
The A321LR includes a three-cabin configuration, together with Etihad’s first-ever narrowbody First Suites – non-public, enclosed areas with sliding doorways, fully-flat beds, and bespoke design touches usually reserved for long-haul widebody operations. Every window-facing First Suite options a big 20-inch 4K display screen, Bluetooth pairing, wi-fi charging, and extra area for a companion to sit down.
The plane’s 14-seat Enterprise cabin options widebody-style seats in a 1-1 herringbone structure, guaranteeing each passenger has direct aisle entry and window views. Every Enterprise seat features a 17.3-inch 4K display screen, Bluetooth headphone pairing and wi-fi charging.
In Economic system, 144 thoughtfully designed seats provide beneficiant area and luxury, offering an elevated expertise for single-aisle journey. Passengers take pleasure in 13.3-inch 4K touchscreen shows, USB charging, and Bluetooth connectivity. These seatback screens convey premium content material again to narrowbody journey with over a thousand hours of flicks, exhibits and video games.
As well as, the cabin options enlarged overhead bins offering considerably extra baggage area than conventional narrowbody plane.
Benoît de Saint-Exupéry, Airbus Government Vice President Gross sales of the Industrial Plane Enterprise, commented: “The supply of Etihad’s first Airbus A321LR is a strong image of innovation and partnership, strengthening the long-standing relationship between Airbus and the UAE. This plane units a brand new customary for consolation within the single-aisle class and paves the way in which for elevated connectivity as Etihad expands its operations from its Abu Dhabi hub.”
Staying Related Above the Clouds
A standout function of Etihad’s A321LR is its high-speed Wi-Fi powered by Viasat’s superior know-how delivering speeds of as much as 100’s of Mbps. Passengers can take pleasure in seamless streaming, gaming and looking all through their journey, bringing ground-level connectivity to the skies. This gate-to-gate connectivity, the place permitted, ensures friends stay productive and entertained whether or not flying for enterprise or leisure. Wi-Fi service on Asian routes is being progressively rolled out and will probably be accessible from September 2025.
Increasing Horizons
The A321LR helps Etihad’s extraordinary enlargement momentum, with the airline having launched or introduced 27 new routes in a single 12 months as a part of its bold development technique. The plane will enter industrial service on 1 August 2025, initially working between Abu Dhabi and Phuket earlier than serving locations together with Algiers, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Copenhagen, Düsseldorf, Kolkata, Krabi, Krakow, Medan, Milan, Paris, Phnom Penh, Phuket, Tunis and Zurich.
The A321LR supply helps Etihad’s Journey 2030 imaginative and prescient, reinforcing Abu Dhabi’s place as a number one world aviation hub. Further 9 A321LR plane will probably be delivered all through 2025, supporting Etihad’s bold development plans because the airline works in the direction of carrying 38 million passengers yearly by 2030.
