Etihad Airways (Arabic: الإتحاد / al-ittiḥād, for "Alliance", English: Etihad Airways) is the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, headquartered in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. It began commercial operations in November 2003 and is the second largest airline in the United Arab Emirates, after Dubai-based Emirates Airline, and the fourth largest airline in the Middle East.