Etihad Airways To Invest $10 Billion In New Aircraft, Hiring 2,500 Staff Annually

Etihad Airways plans to invest $10 billion (Dh36.7 billion) over the next five years in new aircraft as it continues to hire 2,500 people a year, its chief executive said on Monday.

“It's been only about three years, and we have doubled the size of the airline. We have just announced 31 destinations. We came from an airline that was at the bottom of the profitability rankings about three years ago. We're going to be investing about $10 billion in the next five years in new aircraft to double the airline, and cash flow generation is coming very strong,” said Antonoaldo Neves during a panel discussion at the Abu Dhabi Finance Week.

While responding to a question about the airline's plan to launch an IPO, he said it is“just another way to finance” the airline's growth and expansion.

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“The reality is that we have now paid dividends, so we can finance our growth from our own cash flow generation. IPO is not an end date and is not a final destination for us. Our obligation, as management, is to be ready to go public whenever the shareholder believes the right time,” he said during the panel discussion.

“But if you look at what's going on in the world, the most profitable airlines are buying back shares. From a governance, balance sheet and strategy perspectives, Etihad is ready to roll, but it's up to the shareholders to think if there is a need to go public.”

The UAE national carrier ordered 32 Airbus widebody aircraft during the Dubai Airshow 2025.

He added that when ADQ became a shareholder, it gave the airline a mandate to deliver extraordinary customer experiences while also making money.

"Airlines are very important for cities' economic development. We're growing rapidly and hiring more than 2,500 people each year. You can only do that if you make money. So, the airline's role in the country is extremely important. Our contribution to Abu Dhabi GDP is extraordinary, which we can only do that if we're sustainable, financially viable, and that's what they're trying to do – improving our product and customer experience, and at the same time, make sure that we expand our margins so that the airline can finance the growth,” he said during the panel discussion.

He credited 7-8 per cent population growth as one of the key factors driving the growth of the UAE's national carrier airlines.

“We need to allocate the capital at the right time and the right place so that we can support the growth,” he concluded.

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