Etihad Airways on Friday announced the delivery of its first Airbus A321LR aircraft from a total order of 30 jets, marking a significant step in the airline’s expansion strategy. The aircraft will enter commercial service on August 1, 2025, with its inaugural route connecting Abu Dhabi to Phuket.Following its debut, the A321LR will gradually be deployed on several international routes including Kolkata, Algiers, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Copenhagen, Düsseldorf, Krabi, Krakow, Medan, Milan, Paris, Phnom Penh, Tunis, and Zurich, according to an ET report.“This delivery supports Etihad’s ambition of carrying 38 million passengers annually by 2030,” the airline said in a statement. Nine more A321LR aircraft are expected to be delivered through the remainder of 2025.The newly inducted aircraft also marks a first for the airline—it is Etihad’s first-ever narrowbody aircraft fitted with First Suites. The aircraft features a 14-seat Business Class cabin and a 144-seat Economy Class section. It also offers enhanced passenger comfort with enlarged overhead bins, providing more luggage space than conventional narrowbody jets.Commenting on the delivery, Benoît de Saint-Exupéry, Executive Vice President at Airbus, said: “This aircraft sets a new standard for comfort in the single-aisle category and paves the way for increased connectivity as Etihad expands its operations from its Abu Dhabi hub.”