Etihad Airways is changing the aircraft used on its Abu Dhabi to Warsaw service from 15 June, with an Airbus A330-200 operated by HiFly replacing the Boeing 787-9 and 787-10 currently used on the route.

The change appears in the airline’s booking system and means passengers flying to Warsaw Chopin Airport will see the widebody substitute on the service from that date.

The move is understood to be temporary, lasting until Etihad receives more Dreamliners.

The shift marks a notable change for the Polish market, where the carrier has relied on Boeing 787s on the route up to now. The Airbus A330-200 is a different aircraft type with a different cabin layout and operating profile, but Etihad has not publicly announced a permanent change to its Warsaw schedule.

Etihad’s use of a wet-leased aircraft from HiFly suggests the airline is managing capacity while it awaits additional long-haul jets. Such arrangements are common in aviation when carriers need short-term cover for fleet shortages, maintenance, or delivery delays.

For travellers, the main impact will be on the aircraft rather than the destination or route frequency. The Abu Dhabi to Warsaw link remains part of Etihad’s network, and the booking system indicates the service continues as planned after the switch.

The timing of the change is likely to matter to passengers booking premium cabins, since aircraft substitutions can affect seat products, inflight entertainment, and onboard amenities. Etihad has not yet provided a detailed explanation of how the temporary aircraft will be configured for the route.

HiFly, the Maltese wet-lease operator, has previously supplied aircraft to airlines needing short-term capacity support. Its Airbus A330-200 is now set to operate the Warsaw flights until Etihad’s Dreamliner fleet is expanded further.

While aircraft changes on a single route may go unnoticed by many travellers, they can be significant for an airline’s wider fleet strategy. In this case, the move underlines the pressure on long-haul capacity and the continued importance of flexible leasing in international aviation.

Etihad’s Warsaw service is one of several European routes that depend on widebody aircraft to connect directly with Abu Dhabi. The temporary substitution may be revised again once new Boeing 787s arrive.