Etihad Airways Retires Entire Boeing 777 Fleet Amid Transformation Effort

Etihad Airways is undergoing a radical transformation to cut losses by 2023. As part of this effort, the airline has announced plans to retire its entire Boeing 777 fleet by the end of 2021.

Tony Douglas, Group CEO of Etihad Airways, revealed that the Abu Dhabi-based airline will focus on its fleet of 787 Dreamliners and A350-1000s. The current Boeing 777-300ER fleet consists of 19 aircraft, averaging just over 10 years old.

The retirement of the 777s could have significant implications for Etihad's operations. While it will shrink the airline's size, some benefits include better product consistency across long-haul flights. The 777s were not equipped with Etihad's new business class, whereas all other long-haul aircraft feature this upgraded product.