Etihad Airways

Etihad Airways was established by a royal decree issued in July 2003 by Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, commencing commercial operations in November 2003 with a flight to Beirut. Headquartered in Abu Dhabi, the carrier was created to serve as the national airline of the United Arab Emirates and act as a primary economic engine for the emirate's tourism and commerce sectors. During its first decade, Etihad expanded aggressively, punctuated by massive widebody aircraft orders at the Farnborough and Dubai airshows and the launch of an equity alliance strategy that saw it take stakes in various European and international carriers.

Following a period of financial restructuring and market corrections resulting from its equity investments and the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic, the airline shifted focus toward sustainable profitability and network consolidation. Operating from its main hub at Zayed International Airport, Etihad executes a targeted growth strategy centered on connecting short- and medium-haul feeder markets in the Middle East, the GCC, and India with long-haul routes across Europe, Asia, and North America.