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The second day of the Arabian Travel Market in Dubai supplied a basket of news from UAE airlines, and the first ever demo flight in MENA for a passenger eVTOL.
Etihad is eyeing a fleet expansion: Etihad Airways is considering purchasing a small number of aircraft from Airbus and Boeing over the next five years if delivery slots become available, in a bid to up its fleet to 150 aircraft from around 80 today, Etihad CEO Antonoaldo Neves told Reuters. The airline aims to add 10-15 new aircraft annually to meet its target, Neves added. Etihad is currently talking with lessors and plane makers to snag additional jets to supplement existing orders. The carrier looks to expand its fleet to 150 planes over the next five years.
Emirates expands refurbishment program to 191 aircraft: Emirates is expanding its multi-bn aircraft retrofit program with plans to refurbish 43 A380s and 28 Boeing 777s, bringing the total to 191 aircraft, Emirates President Tim Clark said, according to a Dubai Media Office statement. The project initially included refurbishing 120 aircraft, including 67 A380s and 53 777s. To date, Emirates has refurbished 22 A380 aircraft, with the initial Boeing 777 set for an interior update starting in July.
And the carrier has warned Boeing to “keep its promise” to deliver the 777X aircraft, Chairman and CEO Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum told Bloomberg (watch, runtime: 2:41), expressing Emirates’ dissatisfaction with the delays, which have forced the airline to upgrade and continue flying older airplanes beyond their expected lifespan. Boeing is expected to deliver the 400-seat jet by mid-next year, following a four-year delay due to certification issues.
Emirates also expanded its interline partnership with Saudi carrier flynas, connecting Emirates’ gateways in the Kingdom to destinations in the Far East, West Asia and Indian Ocean, and Europe through Dubai, Wam reports.
Flydubai will begin a phased transition to the Al Maktoum International Airport — also known as Dubai World Central — two years from now, CEO Ghaith Al Ghaith told Khaleej Times. Operations will be split between the two airports until Dubai International Airport is closed down completely, he explained.
Meanwhile, national carrier Emirates will shift its operations to the airport “in one go” by 2034, Emirates CEO and Chairman Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum told Khaleej Times, emphasizing that the carrier will not split its operations throughout the transition period.
IN EVTOL NEWS-
Chinese electric air mobility company EHang has concluded the first demo flight for its pilotless eVTOL aircraft series EH216 in Abu Dhabi, according to a statement. EHang’s demonstration flight of the EH216-S — a one passenger aircraft — marked the first passenger-carrying demo flight in the UAE and Middle East. The EH216 series also includes two non-passenger aircrafts — the EH216-F for high-rise firefighting and the EH216-L for aerial logistics and cargo-carrying.
This has been in the works: EHang partnered with Wings Logistics Hub — the eVTOL-focused subsidiary of UAE investor Ethmar International Holding — moving into Abu Dhabi’s Smart and Autonomous Vehicle Industries (SAVI) Cluster to roll out its autonomous eVTOL aircraft in the UAE last December. Wing Logistics planned to purchase up to 100 units from Ehang with variants for aerial logistics, transport, and firefighting with deliveries set for 1Q 2024.
