The company anticipates delivery of the new aircraft in the final quarter of 2005. The deal will take Etihad's fleet to 34 planes from 29 planes. Etihad will use the new aircraft to pursue an increased route network in the Middle East, Europe, Asia and North America.

In July, the airline signed an estimated $7,000 million deal with Europe's Airbusto buy 24 aircraft (MEED 23:7:04). The airline, which added Bahrain to its network in August, now flies to nine destinations and is scheduled to launch flights to Mumbai by the end of September. Etihad was established by Emiri decree last July and is owned by the Abu Dhabi government.