Etihad CEO Says ‘Aircraft Is the Constraint’ as China and Africa Drive Growth

Etihad Airways is preparing for another significant expansion of its global network, with Africa and China emerging as its biggest growth markets next year, but the airline said it could grow even faster if it had more widebody aircraft. “We could have had 15 more widebodies today,” CEO Antonoaldo Neves told Skift in an exclusive interview following the launch of Etihad’s new “Beyond Borders” cabin and service experience. Aircraft availability is now Etihad’s biggest medium-term constraint, Neves said. “In the mid-term, aircraft is the constraint,” he said. Etihad has doubled its seats in three years and plans to keep adding capacity as it builds Abu Dhabi into a larger global connecting hub. “My job is to add seats,” Neves said. The airline’s next major push will be in Africa and China. �