Etihad’s aircraft fleet hits 100 with delivery of Airbus A321-231

New Airbus A321-231 was also joined by the 101st - an Airbus A320-200.

Etihad staff welcome the airline's 100th and 101st aircraft. Courtesy Etihad

Etihad Airways, the Abu Dhabi carrier, has received its 100th aircraft a little more than 10 years after it first started operating.

Aircraft number 100 was a new Airbus A321-231, which was also joined by the 101st - an Airbus A320-200.

“This is an important day for an airline which launched operations just over 10 years ago,” said James Hogan, the president and chief executive of Etihad.

"Etihad Airways continues to grow, to prosper and to lead the way in innovation and service. Today, we fly the most technologically advanced and fuel efficient aircraft available, setting new standards in comfort and reliability."

A statement from Etihad said that both aircraft are equipped with sharklets, which are blended winglets at each wingtip, designed to enhance the payload-range performance, allowing a significant reduction in fuel-burn.

The carrier placed its largest ever aircraft order in November at the Dubai Airshow with a value of US$67 billion for up to 199 aircraft and 294 engines. It will take delivery of its first Boeing 787-9 and Airbus A380 aircraft in October and December of this year.

Meanwhile, Etihad and Air New Zealand, which has a codeshare with Etihad, agreed to provide mutual maintenance in Melbourne, Australia, and Los Angeles in the USA.

Etihad said it will soon offer maintenance on Air New Zealand planes in Melbourne at its Tullamarine engineering facility.

Air New Zealand already provides maintenance for Etihad in Los Angeles.

The maintenance services to be performed in Melbourne and Los Angeles will possibly include: transit, daily and weekly checks, scheduled engineering services and fault repairs for the aircraft systems and passenger cabins. Etihad launched daily flights to Los Angeles on June 1.

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