Etihad places firm orders for 45 Boeing aircraft

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Etihad AirwaysEtihad Airways announced today firm orders for 45 Boeing aircraft at the Farnborough International Airshow in the UK. The list price for the order is more than US $9 billion.

The Abu Dhabi-based national airline of the United Arab Emirates has signed contracts for:

• 35 B787 aircraft. The engine type is subject to further discussions

• 10 B777-300ER aircraft, powered by GE90 engines

There are also options for a further 25 Boeing 787s and 10 Boeing 777s. In addition, Etihad AirwaysEtihad Airways has agreed purchase rights for a further 10 Boeing 787s and five Boeing 777s. Aircraft deliveries will begin in 2011 and be completed in 2020.

Etihad AirwaysEtihad Airways' chairman His Highness Dr Sheikh Ahmed bin Saif Al Nahyan and EtihadEtihad chief executive James Hogan announced the order.

James Hogan said: "This is a momentous day for Etihad AirwaysEtihad Airways and Abu Dhabi. It reflects the strength and pace of economic growth in the Emirate and the integral role EtihadEtihad will play in Abu Dhabi's future.

"That future will see planned investments in infrastructure and projects within the Emirate likely to exceed US $200 billion during the next 10 years, an aggressive tourism push and enormous residential development. We are extremely proud to play a leading role in realising these exciting plans in the years ahead.

"The size of our order also mirrors the rising prominence of the Middle East and its increasing emergence as a new focal point of global aviation. The Gulf is also a natural air bridge between East and West offering the fastest air links for travellers and freight forwarders."

A key selection criterion in the deal has been the environmental performance of the aircraft. Mr Hogan added: "The new generation Boeing aircraft we have ordered are amongst the most fuel efficient and will help maintain EtihadEtihad's fleet as one of the youngest and greenest in the sky."

Boeing chairman, president and chief executive officer Jim McNerney said: "We count EtihadEtihad as an outstanding, world-class customer, and congratulate the airline on its remarkable growth. Boeing's commitment to provide the world's most fuel efficient airplanes is clearly demonstrated by both the 777 and 787, and we know EtihadEtihad will benefit from the reliability and efficiency these airplanes bring to twin-aisle operations."

Etihad AirwaysEtihad Airways' chairman His Highness Dr Sheikh Ahmed bin Saif Al Nahyan said: "The story of EtihadEtihad's growth has been a remarkable one. At every stage of our short history we have surprised people with the scale of our ambition - and at every stage we have delivered on that ambition.

"This Boeing aircraft order is another major step forward in our journey and will enable us to continue our exciting expansion plans by adding new destinations to our growing global network and fulfil our aspirations of bringing Abu Dhabi to the world."

Since its establishment in 2003, Etihad AirwaysEtihad Airways has been recognised as the fastest growing airline in commercial aviation history. It serves 45 global destinations currently covering Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, the Middle East and North America and this year is on course to carry six million passengers.

So far this year, the airline has started new flights to Beijing in China. August will see Chennai (Madras) and Kozhikode (Calicut) in India, and Minsk in Belarus added to the network. EtihadEtihad will also launch new services in December to Moscow in Russia and Almaty in Kazakhstan.

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Note to photo editors:
For EtihadEtihad aircraft images and photos of the Boeing signing ceremony at the Farnborough International Airshow, visit www.etihadmediacentre.com

Notes to editors:

Options and purchase rights
Options are an "add-on" to firm orders. Options are either turned into full orders or cancelled. Options provide the flexibility to take delivery of aircraft at an agreed price and at an agreed time in the future.

Purchase rights provide further flexibility, over and above options, to take delivery of further aircraft at an agreed price. With purchase rights, the future price is fixed but not necessarily the delivery date.

EtihadEtihad's current fleet

As of 14 July, 2008, EtihadEtihad's fleet consists of 38 aircraft:

• 5 x Boeing 777-300 ER

• 2 x Airbus A319

• 6 x Airbus A320

• 14 x Airbus A330-200
• 1 x Airbus A340-300

• 4 x Airbus A340- 500

• 3 x Airbus A340- 600

• 2 x Airbus A300-600S (cargo freighter)

• 1 x MD11 (cargo freighter)

Major fleet orders in EtihadEtihad's history

EtihadEtihad made its first aircraft order at the 2004 Farnborough International Airshow. The total value of the agreement was in excess of US $7 billion and was for the following:

• 12 x Airbus A330-200s

• 4 x Airbus A340-500s

• 4 x Airbus A340-600s

• 4 x Airbus A380s

EtihadEtihad made its first major Boeing order in September 2004. The total value of the agreement was in excess of US $1 billion and was for the following:

• 5 x Boeing 777-300ER

EtihadEtihad placed a further order in June 2007 with Airbus at the Paris Airshow for aircraft to be delivered between 2008 and 2011. The total value of the agreement was worth US $2.2 billion and was for the following:

• 5 x Airbus A330

• 4 x Airbus A340-600s

• 3 x A330 freighters

About Abu Dhabi airport
Abu Dhabi airport is currently the second largest in the UAE, serving 6.9 million passengers in 2007, up 30 per cent on the year before.

Work is currently underway on a new terminal at the airport, to open later this year. Once completed, the airport's three terminals will have an approximate capacity of 12 million passengers per annum. It is expected that passenger numbers will reach this level in 2011.

Development work has also started on a major new passenger terminal, to be situated between the two runways and known currently as the Midfield Terminal. Upon completion for 2012, the Midfield Terminal will take the airport's passenger capacity to more than 20 million per year.

About EtihadEtihad Airways
Etihad AirwaysEtihad Airways is the national airline of the United Arab Emirates based in the UAE's capital, Abu Dhabi.

Currently EtihadEtihad offers flights to 45 destinations in the Middle East, Europe, North America, Africa and Asia.

EtihadEtihad currently has 6,300 members of staff which includes more than 3,000 cabin crew and 600 pilots.

For more information, please contact:
Etihad AirwaysEtihad Airways Corporate Communications
Tel: + 971 2 505 8317 / 8573
Website: www.etihadmediacentre.com

© Press Release 2008