Etihad COO Mohammed Al Bulooki Steps Down

Etihad Airways chief operating officer Mohammed Al Bulooki has stepped down from his role, confirms an internal document seen by Skift. The internal memo was signed by Etihad CEO Antonoaldo Neves and shared with staff Thursday evening.

John Wright will serve as interim COO and guest officer, Etihad confirmed to Skift.

“As we navigate through a period of remarkable growth and expansion, I have an important update to share regarding our leadership team,” wrote Neves.” After many years of dedicated service to Etihad, Mohammad Al Bulooki, our Chief Operations and Guest Officer, has decided to step down from his role here at Etihad to pursue new challenges.”

“Mohammad has been an integral part of our journey since the inception of our company. From being onboard the inaugural Etihad flight in 2003 to playing a pivotal role in Etihad’s growth and development, both within the company and as part of the wider Abu Dhabi aviation ecosystem, his contributions have been invaluable.”

An Etihad spokesperson told Skift: “We can confirm that Mohammad Al Bulooki is stepping down from his position as COO to pursue other interests. This follows a long and storied career at Etihad, where he held several managerial and executive roles since 2015.”

Wright is the replacement while Etihad “conducts a global talent search,” the airline told Skift. Wright has been the carrier’s VP of network, airports and cargo operations since 2013.

Mohammed Al Bulooki’s Career

Al Bulooki joined the UAE national carrier in 2015 as an executive vice president and chief commercial officer. By 2018, he was made COO and guest officer.

He is credited as helping steer Etihad through the worst of the pandemic, and with its transition to Abu Dhabi’s new Terminal A.

Abu Dhabi International Airport’s Terminal A brings a major increase in capacity for the emirate’s commercial aviation sector, more than doubling the current passenger capacity, with the new facilities being able to process up to 45 million travelers annually. 

At triple the size of the previous terminals, Terminal A will handle 79 planes simultaneously and 11,000 passengers per hour.