Etihad Airways has unveiled its new Airbus A350-1000, registration A6-XWB, on a special inaugural commercial flight from Abu Dhabi to Paris. The aircraft is the first A350 to be operated by a UAE airline, and the first of five A350s set to join the fleet over the coming months.

The first flight departed Abu Dhabi for Paris Charles de Gaulle with a delegation including diplomatic dignitaries, Etihad and Airbus representatives, media, trade partners and other VIPs.

Tony Douglas, group chief executive officer, commented: “The Airbus A350 is an absolutely incredible aircraft, and we are proud to introduce it into the Etihad Airways network. Our teams have worked closely together to craft a product and travel proposition that will ensure every journey with Etihad is a choice well made – both for our guests and for the planet.”

The aircraft, named Sustainability50, carries a unique livery in recognition of the fiftieth anniversary of the federation of the UAE and a commitment to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 from the airline.

Etihad recently established a formal framework with Airbus to collaborate on sustainability across a number of areas including the promotion and commercialisation of sustainable aviation fuel, waste and weight management, and the development of data-driven analysis.