Abu Dhabi’s fast-growing Etihad Airways will announce a mammoth order for 12 Airbus widebodies here at the show today. The deal features four A340-600s, five A330s and three A330 Freighters and is part of the compensation package agreed between the airline and Airbus over delays to Etihad’s order for four A380s.
The new order, which will take Etihad’s fleet to 42 aircraft, will be delivered between 2008 and 2011. The A340s will be powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 500s with the engine selection for the A330s decided in the next three months.
Etihad and Airbus have agreed to defer the delivery of the A380s until 2013, which suits the airline as it does not need them as early as the 2009 timeframe originally chosen after Airbus announced its delays to the A380 programme. For the time being the airline will not add further A380 orders as other customers have done.
n Etihad CEO James Hogan interviewed – page 54
Source: Flight Daily News
