Abu Dhabi's investment firm ADQ is reportedly contemplating a potential listing for Etihad Airways PJSC, marking a significant move that could see one of the Gulf region's major hub carriers go public. Sources familiar with the matter revealed that discussions have taken place with banks regarding a potential deal as early as this year. ADQ is said to be considering both a traditional IPO and a direct listing for Etihad Airways, although details such as the size and timing of the listing remain undecided at this stage. If realized, an Etihad listing would represent the first privatization of a major legacy airline in the Gulf.

Ownership of Etihad was transferred to ADQ from Abu Dhabi's Supreme Council for Financial and Economic Affairs in 2022, part of a broader initiative aimed at enhancing the emirate's status as a prominent transportation hub. Amid a resurgence in international travel post-pandemic, global airlines have witnessed a rebound in earnings, with some carriers achieving record profits. Etihad, which last publicly disclosed earnings in 2022, reported record profits for the first half of that year. The potential listing of Etihad comes after a period of significant transformation for the carrier, marked by strategic shifts and retrenchment from an ambitious growth trajectory initiated more than a decade ago under former CEO James Hogan.