Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has introduced its first Boeing 787 Dreamliner into commercial service.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held at the departure gate to mark the occasion, attended on behalf of Etihad Airways by Peter Baumgartner, Chief Commercial Officer, Khaled Al Mehairbi, Senior Vice President Government Aero Political Affairs, Richard Hill, Chief Operations Officer, and Ali Al Shamsi, Vice President Abu Dhabi Hub.
Special gift packs were handed to guests on the inaugural flight, including luggage tags, passport holders and commemorative B787 certificates.
“This is a tremendous milestone for Etihad Airways,” said James Hogan, Etihad Airways President and Chief Executive Officer. “The Boeing 787 is without doubt the most technologically advanced aircraft in its class. It will provide us with a clear reduction in operating costs and carbon emissions, at maximum reliability and efficiency.”
Etihad Airways’ new B787 interiors feature 8 First Suites, 28 Business Studios and 199 Economy Smart Seats, offering comfort, entertainment and in-flight connectivity. On-board décor and lighting was inspired by contemporary modern Arabian design, complementing the new ‘Facets of Abu Dhabi’ design identity recently introduced by the airline.
Etihad Airways, www.etihad.com