The unveiling of a new livery on Thursday of Etihad Airways’ first A380 at Airbus’s Hamburg factory signaled the start of a new era for the Abu Dhabi-based carrier, as it prepares to launch its first services with the superjumbo in December.

Plans call for delivery of the completed aircraft “towards the end of the year,” Airbus said, while Etihad has set a firm date of December 27 for its entry into commercial service on the route between Abu Dhabi and London Heathrow Airport. The two subsequent A380s delivered early next year will also serve the route, making it a triple-daily A380 operation. Later next year, schedules call for Etihad A380s to fly to Sydney and New York as the airline receives its fourth and fifth aircraft.

Etihad now holds a firm order for 10 of the type—powered by Rolls-Royce engines—plus options on another five. The four A380s scheduled for delivery next year form the basis of an aggressive expansion and renewal plan for the 104-aircraft fleet that includes the introduction of four Boeing 787-9s, one A320 and six A321s.

For Etihad, introducing the A380 signals an opportunity to “up the ante” against its Gulf-based competitors. “It was time to change the brand,” said CEO James Hogan. Inspired by traditional Emirati design patterns, the landscapes of the desert and the geometric shapes found in the modern architecture of Abu Dhabi, the new livery accompanies recently unveiled business and first classes and the “Residence”—a three-room suite for two people. Etihad A380s will seat nine in first class, 70 in business and 415 in economy.

From Airbus’s standpoint, Etihad becomes the third Gulf carrier to operate the manufacturer’s flagship, following Emirates and Qatar Airways. The company has logged firm orders for a total of 318 A380s. It has sold 20 so far this year and hopes to add at least another 10 to its order book by December 31. “We are happy with 30 orders per year,” Airbus CEO Fabrice Brégier said. Asked about potential delay in installing the new cabin interior into Etihad's first A380, he answered that the risks related to such innovation are “progressively put behind us” and that Airbus will meet its scheduling commitment.

Last year Airbus delivered 25 A380s, far below projections for annual output early in the program, when the company built factories capable of producing one per week.