Etihad starts New Year with new Dreamliner

The airplane is the first of the 71 Dreamliners that the UAE national airline has on order which includes 41 787-9s and 30 787-10s. Etihad Airways will also be the first airline in the Middle East to operate the 787-9.
"We are confident that the additions of the 787 Dreamliner to our growing fleet will enable us to continue to add vital long-haul destinations from our Abu Dhabi hub," said Peter Baumgartner, Etihad’s chief commercial officer. "We will first use the aircraft on routes to cities such as Dusseldorf, Washington D.C., Mumbai, Brisbane and Moscow. The aircraft meets our requirements on these routes and will enable us to continue to provide the highest levels of
The 787-9 can carry 280 passengers 8,300 nautical miles (15,372 kilometers). The uprated 787-10 was launched in June 2013 and in development now, will fly 323 passengers up to 7,000 nautical miles (13,000 kilometers), or more than 90 percent of the world's twin-aisle routes.
"We are excited to see the 787 footprint grow in the Middle East with airlines such as Etihad Airways investing in the Dreamliner as part of their fleet strategy," said Marty Bentrott, Boeing’s vice president, sales for Middle East, Russia and Central Asia,