Seven orders for Airbus A350s cancelled by #Etihad

Etihad Airlines has decided to not to go ahead with its $2.4 billion purchase of more than half of its original order for the new-era Airbus A350 as development of the wide-bodied aircraft is delayed. The Herald Sun reported.
The rapidly expanding Abu Dhabi-based airline has one of the world’s most extensive purchase programs for new aircraft, but has cancelled seven orders for the new jets.

It follows a cancellation in December of six of the A350-1000s, meaning the airline will go ahead with the purchase of just 12 of an original 25 orders for the aircraft.

An Etihad spokeswoman said the latest round of delays on the A350, which Airbus aims to be a direct competitor to Boeing’s 777, was not the direct result of delays to the development of the aircraft.

But the delays "provided an appropriate opportunity for Etihad to revisit its projected fleet mix in the latter part of the decade”.

"While we have reduced our firm orders, our 25 options and purchase rights for this fleet remain in place and will no doubt play a crucial role in the airline’s growth. This is not a new cancellation,” she said.

Read the full article here.

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