Etihad Airways has signed a strategic partnership agreement with Israel Aerospace Industries to provide passenger to freighter conversions for Boeing 777-300ERs. During the initial stage of the partnership, Etihad Engineering will open two conversion lines.
On Wednesday (August 25, 2021), Etihad Airways announced that Etihad Engineering, the largest commercial aircraft MRO in the Middle East, has signed a strategic partnership agreement with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) to provide passenger to freight (P2F) conversions for Boeing 777-300ERs. The agreement follows a 2019 announcement from GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS) and IAI outlining the launch of the Boeing 777-ERSF conversion program dubbed ‘The Big Twin’, denoting the aircraft’s status as the largest twin-engine freighter.
In Wednesday’s announcement, Etihad Aviation Group’s Chief Executive Officer, Tony Douglas, said,
“The Boeing 777-300ERSF is not only extremely attractive to customers but a technological breakthrough, given that it’s the first in its size category to offer extensive cargo solutions. Not only do we see the demand, but we view it as a greener, more profitable, highly innovative solution for our airline customers, and an excellent way to drive value for our business.”
Also commenting on the new partnership, Etihad Engineering’s Chief Executive Officer, Abdul Khaliq Saeed, said,
“We are delighted to announce our partnership with IAI which maximises the potential of our highly skilled workforce and reinforces Etihad Engineering’s position as a centre of excellence in Abu Dhabi in line with Abu Dhabi’s economic vision 2030. Our commitment to the P2F programme demonstrates our confidence in the ability of IAI to deliver long-term value enhancement of the B777-300ER’s in the global fleet.”
Israel Aerospace Industries’ President & CEO, Boaz Levy, added,
“The Abraham Accords have given IAI the opportunity to expand its global activity to the Gulf region. IAI is active in over 100 countries across the world. Establishing the conversion site in partnership with Etihad Engineering is a testament to IAI’s strong ties with the UAE and strengthens its foothold in the region. I am confident that this agreement will lead to many more partnerships with local companies in the Gulf States, which will grow our business in the region.”
Etihad Engineering will capitalize on their extensive capabilities for the specialized Boeing 777-300ERSF conversion program, initially setting up two conversion lines with the ability to accommodate multiple aircraft conversions annually.
Source: Etihad Airways