Etihad Airways is celebrating fifteen years since its first flight and its subsequent rise as one of the world’s leading airlines.

The milestone is being marked with a series of events and initiatives in Abu Dhabi and around the world, beginning with the unveiling of an exclusive collaboration with iconic New York fashion designer, Diane von Furstenberg.

Etihad Airways commenced flying on 5 November 2003, with a single Airbus A330-200 aircraft, which performed a symbolic flight to the emirate of Abu Dhabi’s historic city of Al Ain.

Regular commercial flights were launched on 12 November of the same year from Abu Dhabi to the Lebanese capital, Beirut.

The UAE national airline now operates a next-generation fleet of over 110 modern Boeing and Airbus aircraft, flying to 84 passenger and cargo destinations.

Over the span of 15 years, Etihad has operated over 840,000 passenger flights and has carried 139 million guests, served by a workforce of over 22,000 people from over 150 countries.