Is Etihad Still Heading for an IPO? We Ask the CEO

Trading its sovereign safety net for the scrutiny of the stock market has long been on the table – but could Etihad’s current success delay the plan?

Etihad Airways may have a new reason not to rush an IPO. After months of speculation about a possible listing, the Abu Dhabi carrier’s newfound strength could incentivize its current owners to hang tight.

Under the stewardship of sovereign wealth fund ADQ – and with some post-pandemic tailwinds – Etihad has returned to profitability and outlined enormous growth plans. Last year, the airline carried 18 million passengers. By the end of the decade, the goal is 38 million.

The company, which shed much of the bloat from its failed “equity alliance” era in the 2010s, has also started publishing more detailed reports with a new level of transparency. All of which has fueled one persistent question in industry circles: Is an IPO next?

“We run like a private company, but we are owned by our sovereign fund s