The first Etihad Airbus A350-1000 (registration A6-XWB) took off this morning on its first commercial flight. The inaugural service is being operated to Paris CDG on a special one-off flight to celebrate Etihad’s partnership with Airbus.
The first flight, EY37, departed Abu Dhabi at just before 8 am with a delegation of Etihad and Airbus representatives, key trade and business partners, media and VIPs on board.
Etihad’s new aircraft carries a unique livery in recognition of the 50th anniversary of the federation of the UAE and the commitment to net-zero carbon emission by 2050.
Formed as a partnership between Etihad, Airbus and Rolls Royce, the Sustainability50 programme will see the A350s used as a flying testbed to trial new initiatives, procedures, and technologies to reduce carbon emissions, building on the learnings derived from Etihad’s Greenliner programme.
The Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-powered Airbus A350 is one of the most efficient aircraft types in the world, with 25% less fuel burn and CO2 emissions than previous-generation twin-aisle aircraft.
Onboard the New A350-1000
The A350 features Etihad’s newest cabin interiors, inspired by Abu Dhabi and based on a more efficient and sustainable design. The aircraft has 371 seats across Business and Economy.
Spacious & Quiet
The aircraft has one of the quietest wide-body cabins, up to eight temperature control zones for passengers to keep cool, and an innovative LED ambient lighting system that matches day-and-night lighting for optimum sleeping and to reduce the effects of jetlag.
Business Class
The Business cabin has 44 seats with sliding doors providing a high level of privacy. Each seat faces forwards with direct aisle access and converts into a fully-flat bed of 79” in length – one of the longest in the industry. With wireless countertop charging, 18.5″ high-definition screens, noise-cancelling headsets and Bluetooth headset pairing, they’re packed with the latest technology.
Economy Class
The Economy cabin is configured with 327 smart seats in a 3-3-3 arrangement, of which 45 Economy Space seats offer an additional 4 inches of legroom. The award-winning seats were selected after extensive customer trials and feature the latest IFE systems with 13.3” high-definition screens & Bluetooth headset-pairing.
