Originally Posted by
GrahamO
You mean the plans like the last Emiratis pipe dream ones which required about 100 more aircraft and it took even Tony Douglas about a decade to unwind that lunacy and orders ?
I am sure theres no firm information as to why he went to Riyadh Air other than the obvious but I am sure that Tony left Etihad due to the physical damage he suffered to his ribs, through uncontrollable laughing when they told him they were going to grow to need 70 more aircraft .....
As you mentioned I think its so clear that even a blind man can tell you why Douglas moved to Riyadh.
With regards to Etihad’s growth you need to consider its done in a planned staging and the growth is there as they coupled this with a new airport that supports this capacity. Together with the Capital’s growth and development. Emirates and Qatar’s airport currently are at maximum capacity hence why EK moving away in the next few years. Otherwise they would also be growing. This has allowed Etihad to capitalise but also a big chunk of those aircraft are 320/321s which allow a more sustainable growth suitable for their loads. I think its not coincidence they have registered record profits since covid and growth every year.
Of course theres always a risk of another world event to bring everything down but what brought them down previously was the poor management ideas and investments in other failing airlines really.