Etihad Airways is considering an initial public offering but does not require immediate cash from a listing, CEO Antonoaldo Neves has said.
The final decision on proceeding with the IPO rests with the shareholders, which was discussed following Neves’ appearance at the Arabian Travel Market conference in Dubai.
Despite global trade tensions, Etihad saw robust passenger numbers, aided by European travel demand due to the euro’s strength against the dollar.
The airline plans to expand its fleet, with expectations to add around 20 aircraft each year, aiming for a total fleet size of 170 by the end of the decade.
In fiscal 2024, Etihad reported a revenue increase of AED5bn, driven by passenger and cargo revenue as well as operational efficiencies.
CEO Antonoaldo Neves shared “About 60pc of our planes are unencumbered, so they’re all fully paid for. If I get a crisis one day, I park planes and save 75pc of the cost.”
