The ongoing growth of the Gulf airlines is breathtaking. Their European competitors, once their role models, are meanwhile only seeing the tail fins of their competitors from the Middle East. Following the ascent of the industry leaders, Qatar Airways and Emirates, Etihad Airways (EY) now rallies to catch up in passenger and cargo traffic. This is evidenced by its network expansion and forthcoming fleet growth.
On the African continent, four new destinations are listed on Etihad’s flight program. These are Algiers (ALG), Addis Ababa (ADD), Tunis (TUN), and Al Alamein (DBB). Until the end of 2025, the Abu Dhabi-based carrier plans to increase its African frequencies from currently 39 flights per week to 57. This includes more flights on existing routes between Abu Dhabi (AUH) and Johannesburg (JNB), Nairobi (NBO), and Casablanca (CAS).
New destinations in northern Africa
And these are the specifics of the new services: EY already flies twice weekly to Al Alamein in Egypt, since 17JUL25. It operates an Airbus A320 on the route, thus expanding its presence on the Egyptian market.
Addis Ababa, a key destination for cargo shipments, is next in line with the first flight scheduled to land at Bole International Airport on 01OCT25. The AUH-ADD route will be operated in collaboration with Ethiopian Airlines, based on a codeshare agreement that allows seamless travel and freight carriage between the two carriers.
As of 01NOV25, EY will commence flying to the Tunisian capital, Tunis, operating an Airbus A321LR. According to the flight plan, this route will be available to travelers and cargo clients three times a week.
Right after, on 07NOV25, Etihad will kick off flights to Algiers, marking its entry into the Algerian passenger and cargo market. As in the case of Tunis, an Airbus A321LR will also be operated on the AUH-ALG route, connecting both cities four times a week.
The A321LR becomes the backbone of EY’s fleet
On Thursday (24JUL25), Etihad Airways received its first Airbus A321LR jetliner at the Airbus production plant in Hamburg, Germany. The UAE national carrier continues to aggressively grow its route network. On the occasion of the delivery, Benoît de Saint-Exupéry, Executive VP Sales of the Commercial Aircraft Unit, Airbus, stated that the A321LR paves the way for increased connectivity as Etihad expands its operations from its Abu Dhabi home base. “The delivery of Etihad’s first Airbus A321LR, on lease from AerCap, is a powerful symbol of innovation and partnership, strengthening the long-standing relationship between Airbus and the UAE,” the Airbus executive said.
During the event, Etihad officials unveiled plans to launch 27 new routes in a single year as part of the carrier’s ambitious growth trajectory. Its first A321LR will enter commercial service on 01AUG25, first serving Phuket, followed by flights to Algiers, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Copenhagen, Düsseldorf, Kolkata, Krabi, Krakow, Medan, Milan, Paris, Phnom Penh, Phuket, Tunis and Zurich.
“Receiving our first A321LR is an extraordinary moment for Etihad as we welcome an aircraft that changes everything we thought possible on a single-aisle plane. The A321LR enables us to serve more destinations with the same premium experience our guests expect across all cabins,” Antonoaldo Neves, CEO of Etihad Airways stated. He concluded his remarks by saying that “this new aircraft is going to shape the growth of the airline and is going to be the backbone of its ascent.” By 31DEC25, Etihad Airways plans to have taken delivery of nine more units of this Airbus variant. Another ten are to follow in 2026. And in 2027 and 2028, the Gulf airline intends to take delivery of five additional A321LRs each year.
