Etihad Airways has announced the launch of its new Airbus A321LR, a narrow-body aircraft that the Abu Dhabi airline promises will deliver the same standard of luxury it is known for on wide-body, long-haul flights.
This includes the introduction of the carrier’s new first-class suite: two private, enclosed spaces with sliding doors, lie-flat beds and companion seating, along with a large 20-inch 4K screen for entertainment with Bluetooth pairing and wireless charging.
The new business-class cabin will feature 14 lie-flat 78-inch beds arranged in a 1-1 herringbone configuration, each with direct aisle access and a 17.3-inch 4K in-flight entertainment screen.
Meanwhile, in economy, there will be 144 18.4-inch-wide seats offering up to a five-inch recline, plus 13.3-inch 4K touchscreens and USB charging.
Etihad chief executive Antonoaldo Neves said the airline is at a “transformational moment” as the A321LR brings the airline’s wide-body luxury to a single-aisle jet for the first time.
“The A321LR is an amazing aircraft which proves our commitment to luxury, customer experience and connectivity,” he said at a media briefing at Arabian Travel Market.
“We’ve taken the luxury experience we’re known for on long-haul flights and adapted it seamlessly to short and medium-haul routes – all while keeping guests connected with superfast Wi-Fi.”
The bespoke service extends beyond the flight, as first-class guests booking on the A321LR will also have access to the new Etihad concierge – a 24/7 travel planning service – as well as private chauffeur transfers at arrival and departure destinations.
At Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport, Etihad is enhancing ground services via dedicated check-in, private lounge access, and meet-and-assist services that take passengers to the aircraft door in a private limousine if the flight does not board directly from the terminal.
First-class customers will also benefit from free home check-in and land-and-leave services that allow guests to travel baggage-free through the airport.
The first A321LR enters service on August 1, with 10 aircraft joining the fleet by year-end, a further 10 being delivered next year and another 10 in 2027. The aircraft will initially operate routes linking the UAE capital with cities such as Athens, Milan, Paris, Riyadh, Bangkok, Phuket and Zurich, among others.
By focusing on key regional and medium-haul routes, the airline aims to connect the UAE more efficiently to major tourist and business centres, supporting the emirate’s broader economic and tourism ambitions.
Set to launch this August, the introduction of this new aircraft marks a milestone in Etihad’s Journey 2030 strategy to double fleet size and triple passenger numbers within the next five years.
It is also aggressively expanding its network, with plans to open 16 new destinations in 2025 alone, including destinations like Phnom Penh in Cambodia and Chiang Mai in Thailand, marking the first time the UAE has been connected directly to these cities.
Last month, Etihad also signed a joint venture with Ethiopian Airlines as the two carriers aim to develop routes between the UAE and Ethiopia, tapping into the countries' growing aviation markets. Etihad will start daily flights from Zayed International Airport to Addis Ababa Bole International Airport from October 1, while Ethiopian Airlines will begin reciprocal services on July 15. Etihad is slated to start two more African routes in 2025, to Tunis and Algiers, both in November.
Neves said the airline is in “good shape”. “We are having a great April,” he said. This comes after Etihad reported a total revenue increase of 25 per cent annually last year, driven mainly by a surge in passenger revenue. Passenger traffic grew by 32 per cent annually to 18.5 million, as Etihad Airways launched more than 20 new destinations during the year, including Boston, Jaipur, Bali and Nairobi.
So what is Spicy Chickenjoy?
Just as McDonald’s has the Big Mac, Jollibee has Spicy Chickenjoy – a piece of fried chicken that’s crispy and spicy on the outside and comes with a side of spaghetti, all covered in tomato sauce and topped with sausage slices and ground beef. It sounds like a recipe that a child would come up with, but perhaps that’s the point – a flavourbomb combination of cheap comfort foods. Chickenjoy is Jollibee’s best-selling product in every country in which it has a presence.
Army of the Dead
Director: Zack Snyder
Stars: Dave Bautista, Ella Purnell, Omari Hardwick, Ana de la Reguera
Three stars
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
PROFILE OF SWVL
Started: April 2017
Founders: Mostafa Kandil, Ahmed Sabbah and Mahmoud Nouh
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport
Size: 450 employees
Investment: approximately $80 million
Investors include: Dubai’s Beco Capital, US’s Endeavor Catalyst, China’s MSA, Egypt’s Sawari Ventures, Sweden’s Vostok New Ventures, Property Finder CEO Michael Lahyani
T20 WORLD CUP QUALIFIER
Results
UAE beat Nigeria by five wickets
Hong Kong beat Canada by 32 runs
Friday fixtures
10am, Tolerance Oval, Abu Dhabi – Ireland v Jersey
7.30pm, Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi – Canada v Oman
Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The%20Genius%20of%20Their%20Age
%3Cp%3EAuthor%3A%20S%20Frederick%20Starr%3Cbr%3EPublisher%3A%20Oxford%20University%20Press%3Cbr%3EPages%3A%20290%3Cbr%3EAvailable%3A%20January%2024%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
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ARM%20IPO%20DETAILS
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BLACKBERRY
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More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
What drives subscription retailing?
Once the domain of newspaper home deliveries, subscription model retailing has combined with e-commerce to permeate myriad products and services.
The concept has grown tremendously around the world and is forecast to thrive further, according to UnivDatos Market Insights’ report on recent and predicted trends in the sector.
The global subscription e-commerce market was valued at $13.2 billion (Dh48.5bn) in 2018. It is forecast to touch $478.2bn in 2025, and include the entertainment, fitness, food, cosmetics, baby care and fashion sectors.
The report says subscription-based services currently constitute “a small trend within e-commerce”. The US hosts almost 70 per cent of recurring plan firms, including leaders Dollar Shave Club, Hello Fresh and Netflix. Walmart and Sephora are among longer established retailers entering the space.
UnivDatos cites younger and affluent urbanites as prime subscription targets, with women currently the largest share of end-users.
That’s expected to remain unchanged until 2025, when women will represent a $246.6bn market share, owing to increasing numbers of start-ups targeting women.
Personal care and beauty occupy the largest chunk of the worldwide subscription e-commerce market, with changing lifestyles, work schedules, customisation and convenience among the chief future drivers.
MORE ON INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE
more from Janine di Giovanni
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Sanju
Produced: Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Rajkumar Hirani
Director: Rajkumar Hirani
Cast: Ranbir Kapoor, Vicky Kaushal, Paresh Rawal, Anushka Sharma, Manish’s Koirala, Dia Mirza, Sonam Kapoor, Jim Sarbh, Boman Irani
Rating: 3.5 stars
Smart words at Make Smart Cool
Make Smart Cool is not your usual festival. Dubbed “edutainment” by organisers Najahi Events, Make Smart Cool aims to inspire its youthful target audience through a mix of interactive presentation by social media influencers and a concert finale featuring Example with DJ Wire. Here are some of the speakers sharing their inspiration and experiences on the night.
Prince Ea
With his social media videos accumulating more half a billion views, the American motivational speaker is hot on the college circuit in the US, with talks that focus on the many ways to generate passion and motivation when it comes to learning.
Khalid Al Ameri
The Emirati columnist and presenter is much loved by local youth, with writings and presentations about education, entrepreneurship and family balance. His lectures on career and personal development are sought after by the education and business sector.
Ben Ouattara
Born to an Ivorian father and German mother, the Dubai-based fitness instructor and motivational speaker is all about conquering fears and insecurities. His talk focuses on the need to gain emotional and physical fitness when facing life’s challenges. As well managing his film production company, Ouattara is one of the official ambassadors of Dubai Expo2020.
You Were Never Really Here
Director: Lynne Ramsay
Starring: Joaquim Phoenix, Ekaterina Samsonov
Four stars
Conservative MPs who have publicly revealed sending letters of no confidence
- Steve Baker
- Peter Bone
- Ben Bradley
- Andrew Bridgen
- Maria Caulfield
- Simon Clarke
- Philip Davies
- Nadine Dorries
- James Duddridge
- Mark Francois
- Chris Green
- Adam Holloway
- Andrea Jenkyns
- Anne-Marie Morris
- Sheryll Murray
- Jacob Rees-Mogg
- Laurence Robertson
- Lee Rowley
- Henry Smith
- Martin Vickers
- John Whittingdale
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
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Company%20profile
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The specs: Macan Turbo
Engine: Dual synchronous electric motors
Power: 639hp
Torque: 1,130Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Touring range: 591km
Price: From Dh412,500
On sale: Deliveries start in October
