Its first UK-UAE A350 service, EY12, departed last month; the new aircraft – Etihad claims – will cut fuel burn and carbon emissions by 25% compared with its previous-generation twin-aisle aircraft thanks to its Rolls-Royce engines.

Deployment of the A350 is part of the airline’s Sustainability50 programme, which it describes as a "testbed" for operational efficiencies designed to reduce aviation’s impact on the environment.

Etihad has established a formal framework with Airbus to collaborate on sustainability in other areas, such as bringing forward sustainable aviation fuel; improving waste and weight management; and using analytics to improve performance.

It builds on its previous Greenliner programme for its Boeing 787 fleet, which Etihad will operate alongside the A350 on the Heathrow-Abu Dhabi route. Etihad also flies to its UAE from Manchester and Dublin.

Jeremy Pollock, Etihad country manager UK and Ireland, said the A350 would provide passengers with a better in-flight experience while also in the knowledge "they are choosing a more sustainable method of travel."

Other improvements touted by Etihad include pillows and blankets made locally in the UAE using recycled materials, reusable tableware eliminating single-use plastics, and the introduction of reusable stainless steel cutlery in its Economy cabin.