Etihad Airways (EY, Abu Dhabi International) has taken delivery of the first of its thirty planned A321-200NX(LR)s. The maiden aircraft is the first of twenty on dry-lease from AerCap.

A6-LRA (msn 12471) was handed over at the Airbus facility in Hamburg Finkenwerder and has yet to be ferried to Abu Dhabi International. Antonoaldo Neves, chief executive of Etihad Airways, said its arrival marks a new step in advancing the carrier’s growth strategy.

“Its medium-haul capability and operational efficiency empower us to boost flight frequencies and unlock new destinations,” he added.

The Abu Dhabi-based carrier expects to begin flights with the new aircraft on August 1, with a daily service to Phuket, ch-aviation reported earlier in the year. Other touted destinations for the incoming fleet are Düsseldorf, Copenhagen Kastrup, Phnom Penh, Krabi, Milan Malpensa, Tunis, Chiang Mai, Hanoi Noi Bai International, and Algiers. The A321-200NX(LR) is equipped with 160 seats in a three-class configuration, including 144 in economy, 14 in business class, and two in first class.

ch-aviation data shows Etihad Airways’ fleet comprises 112 aircraft - fifteen A320-200s, one A320-200N, nine A321-200s, four A321-200Ns, two A321-200NXs, one A321-200NX(LR), two wet-leased A330-200s, seven A350-1000s, ten A380-800s, one wet-leased B747-400FSCD, five B777-200Fs, nine B777-300ERs, ten B787-10s, and thirty-six B787-9s (including one wet-leased).

In May, Neves said that the airline’s growth strategy included acquiring new aircraft, with the aim of reaching a 170-strong fleet by 2030.