Etihad Airways is no rush to go public, according to the airline’s chief executive Antonoaldo Neves.
When asked about the Abu Dhabi airline’s initial public offering, Mr Neves said it’s all “speculation”.
“Right now, the focus is on deleveraging the company. The more debt is reduced, the more returns can be given to shareholders, who are the ultimate decision-makers on any IPO. There’s no rush for capital, no rush to go public,” he told The National in an interview.
However, Mr Neves said that an airline IPO would be a potential structural shift for the UAE’s capital markets. Such an event could rebalance investor focus and redefine the region’s financial landscape, he said.
The airline’s chief executive has a clear mandate: grow the business. And he has delivered, making it clear his goal is to dominate a four-hour flight radius from Abu Dhabi, “an area that includes two billion potential customers”.
Like every global chief executive, Mr Neves has faced disruptions from trade liberalisation, tariffs and the unpredictable moves of US President Donald Trump.
Yet he was quick to point out that Etihad’s exposure to the US market, particularly in cargo, is limited – and, in fact, that business has grown, he said. So far, US policies and rhetoric have had little direct impact, Mr Never explained.
His real worry is not tariffs or political posturing, but rather a potential imbalance in transatlantic supply and demand, particularly a drop in passenger traffic from Europe and the UK to the US. That could send ripple effects across the Middle East, he warned.
“If North Atlantic routes falter, excess aircraft might be redirected to this region, putting downward pressure on pricing and disrupting the market,” he feared.
Last week, during Mr Trump's visit to the UAE, Etihad announced an order for 28 Boeing wide-body aircraft with GE engines, valued at $14.5 billion. Delivery of the aircraft, which include 787s and the 777X, will start in 2028.
Regarding Etihad’s recent aircraft order from Boeing, Mr Neves was unequivocal: “These planes are for growth.”
With 18 new destinations planned for 2025, Etihad’s “ambition is clear”, he said.
The chief executive added that he is in close contact with Boeing leaders such as Dave Calhoun and Stephanie Pope and believes the aircraft manufacturer’s improved performance over the past six months shows the “worst is behind them”.
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Starring: Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, Jenny Ortega
Director: Tim Burton
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Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
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Rating: 5/5
What is graphene?
Graphene is extracted from graphite and is made up of pure carbon.
It is 200 times more resistant than steel and five times lighter than aluminum.
It conducts electricity better than any other material at room temperature.
It is thought that graphene could boost the useful life of batteries by 10 per cent.
Graphene can also detect cancer cells in the early stages of the disease.
The material was first discovered when Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov were 'playing' with graphite at the University of Manchester in 2004.
Zakat definitions
Zakat: an Arabic word meaning ‘to cleanse’ or ‘purification’.
Nisab: the minimum amount that a Muslim must have before being obliged to pay zakat. Traditionally, the nisab threshold was 87.48 grams of gold, or 612.36 grams of silver. The monetary value of the nisab therefore varies by current prices and currencies.
Zakat Al Mal: the ‘cleansing’ of wealth, as one of the five pillars of Islam; a spiritual duty for all Muslims meeting the ‘nisab’ wealth criteria in a lunar year, to pay 2.5 per cent of their wealth in alms to the deserving and needy.
Zakat Al Fitr: a donation to charity given during Ramadan, before Eid Al Fitr, in the form of food. Every adult Muslim who possesses food in excess of the needs of themselves and their family must pay two qadahs (an old measure just over 2 kilograms) of flour, wheat, barley or rice from each person in a household, as a minimum.
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Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl, 48V hybrid
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 325bhp
Torque: 450Nm
Price: Dh289,000
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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Director:Anthony Hayes
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Rating:3/5
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Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League quarter-final (first-leg score):
Juventus (1) v Ajax (1), Tuesday, 11pm UAE
Match will be shown on BeIN Sports
Zayed Sustainability Prize
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
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T20 World Cup Qualifier A, Muscat
Friday, February 18: 10am - Oman v Nepal, Canada v Philippines; 2pm - Ireland v UAE, Germany v Bahrain
Saturday, February 19: 10am - Oman v Canada, Nepal v Philippines; 2pm - UAE v Germany, Ireland v Bahrain
Monday, February 21: 10am - Ireland v Germany, UAE v Bahrain; 2pm - Nepal v Canada, Oman v Philippines
Tuesday, February 22: 2pm – semi-finals
Thursday, February 24: 2pm – final
UAE squad: Ahmed Raza (captain), Muhammad Waseem, Chirag Suri, Vriitya Aravind, Rohan Mustafa, Kashif Daud, Zahoor Khan, Alishan Sharafu, Raja Akifullah, Karthik Meiyappan, Junaid Siddique, Basil Hameed, Zafar Farid, Mohammed Boota, Mohammed Usman, Rahul Bhatia
All matches to be streamed live on icc.tv
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Ticket prices
- Golden circle - Dh995
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- Lower Bowl Platinum - Dh95
- Lower Bowl premium - Dh795
- Lower Bowl Plus - Dh695
- Lower Bowl Standard- Dh595
- Upper Bowl Premium - Dh395
- Upper Bowl standard - Dh295
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● Company: Bidzi
● Started: 2024
● Founders: Akshay Dosaj and Asif Rashid
● Based: Dubai, UAE
● Industry: M&A
● Funding size: Bootstrapped
● No of employees: Nine
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Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz
Rating: 5/5
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