Dubai Career Diary

The UAE’s national carrier, Etihad Airways, is on course for remarkable growth under new leadership, with talk of an IPO to fund expansion. CEO Antonoaldo Neves has spelled out the airline’s “Etihad Airways 2030” strategy, backed by ADQ Holdings. How will this new plan propel the airline to new heights?

In 2014, Etihad Airways outlined an ambitious vision to carry 18 million passengers a year and expand its network to 125 destinations. Fast-forward to 2024, and the airline is back on track, with Neves at the helm.

Back to the Future

The new CEO has signaled a return to growth plans, with the airline aiming to reach its peak in 2017. Between November 2022 and 2023, Etihad carried 13 million passengers, a 30 percent increase from 2022. Through Journey 2030, Neves projects a continued growth trajectory.

Etihad Airways 2030 Strategy

The airline’s ambitious plan involves linking Asia and Europe with a network of 125 destinations. The focus will be on connecting short and medium-haul destinations in the GCC, India, and Asia with long-haul destinations in Europe and the East Coast of America.

The Past, Present, and Future

Etihad Airways has had three distinct eras: Etihad v1 under James Hogan, Etihad v2 under Tony Douglas, and now Etihad v3 under Antonoaldo Neves. Each era has had its own growth strategy, with Neves effectively skipping the seven years between himself and Hogan to once again make Etihad a world beater.

Conclusion

Etihad Airways is back on track, with a clear vision and guidance from the UAE government. As a business, it has been a story of many stops and starts, different flight paths and landing routes. But nearly 21 years since the first flight to Beirut, only a fool would bet against the airline’s future as a global giant.