Tag Archives: Etihad Airways

Etihad Airways will deploy its Boeing 787 Dreamliner on one of its twice-daily scheduled flights between Abu Dhabi and Riyadh, with effect from October 30, 2016. Flight EY317 will be operated with a B787, departing Abu Dhabi at 10:15 hrs, arriving into Riyadh at 11:15 hrs. The return flight EY318 departs Riyadh at 16:25 hrs, arriving into Abu Dhabi at 19:10 hrs. The flights will provide optimal timings for guests in Abu Dhabi and Riyadh, and convenient connections to and from destinations across key markets in Europe, Indian subcontinent, Asia and Australia. The 299-seat aircraft, configured in two classes, with 28 seats in Business and 271 in Economy. The upgrade from a single aisle Airbus A321 aircraft will cater to strong demand to and from the capital of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, offering guests more seats on a wide-body aircraft. Together with the other daily Riyadh service operated by a Boeing 777, Etihad Airways will have more than 8,700 weekly seats on the route.

Etihad Airways will add three weekly flights between Abu Dhabi and Sydney to operate a double-daily schedule from February 6, 2017. The morning departure from Abu Dhabi – EY450 – and the afternoon departure from Sydney – EY451 – will increase from four to seven flights per week. This enhancement to the airline’s Sydney schedule comes with the move by strategic partner Virgin Australia to shift its Australia to Abu Dhabi operation from Sydney to Perth from June 9, 2017. Expanding the code-share agreement, Etihad Airways will add its EY code to Virgin Australia’s new three weekly Perth-Abu Dhabi flights. The combined impact of the additional Sydney capacity and new code-share with Virgin Australia is an increase in the UAE flag carrier’s Australian footprint from a total of 42 to 45 weekly flights. To maintain schedule continuity, Etihad Airways will operate its three new weekly Sydney services at the same timings as Virgin Australia’s current Sydney-Abu Dhabi flights, on which Etihad Airways has placed its EY code since they began in February 2011. Among the new two-way connected markets for Perth are Athens, Beirut, Geneva, Istanbul, and a number of African destinations including Dar es Salaam, Entebbe, Khartoum and Nairobi. The additional Sydney flights will be operated by a three-class Boeing 777-300ER, the aircraft type operating the current EY450/451 pattern. The aircraft is configured with eight seats in First Class, 40 in Business Class and 280 in Economy Class.

Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) has put in place a range of initiatives that will ensure the smooth and safe passage of pilgrims through the airport during the forthcoming Hajj season. Among these are measures to safeguard pilgrims’ health and security. In order to handle the four extra Etihad Airways’ flights (chartered specifically for Hajj), along with Saudi Arabian Airlines’ scheduled flights to Mecca and Medina, dedicated check-in counters have been put in place. Opposite these counters, space has been allocated to the Ministry of Health to provide pilgrims with personal Hajj kits and safety booklets, and a fully equipped Hajj clinic has been established in Terminal 1 to tackle any emergency diagnosis or treatment of pilgrims, should the need arise. In collaboration with the General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowments (GAIAE), several Mufties will be available at the airport to assist pilgrims, attend to their queries, and advise them on religious and Hajj matters. In addition, AUH has worked closely with all its stakeholders such as airport police, Immigration and Customs departments, to provide a hassle-free airport experience for all passengers. Pilgrims will also be offered free food and beverage vouchers to enjoy at Abu Dhabi Duty Free while they wait to board their flights to Saudi Arabia. The airport is also implementing special arrival procedures to handle pilgrims returning from Saudi Arabia with Zamzam water. Mohammed Al Katheeri, Acting Chief Operations Officer at Abu Dhabi Airports said: “It is an honor to provide support to pilgrims as they embark upon their journey from Abu Dhabi International Airport to Saudi Arabia. Hajj is a highly significant occasion that can also be physically demanding. We hope that the measures …

Etihad Airways has marked Emirati Women’s Day by announcing that more than half the UAE nationals employed by the airline are women, including almost 50 pilots. Of the more than 3,200 Emiratis employed by the airline, 1,661 are women – or 51 per cent. This includes the 137 at the all-female Al Ain Contact Centre, reflecting the appeal of Etihad as an employer of Emirati women. Aisha Al Mansoori recalls being mesmerised by the aerial activity at Al Ain Air Show in 2007. Nowadays, she is one of those pilots, flying the largest passenger jet in the world. “I fell in love with aviation during the 2007 Al Ain Air Show and joined Etihad the following year as a cadet. After qualifying, I started as a Second Officer on the Airbus A320 and now I’m a First Officer on the A380. I hope to become Captain so I can train other aviators,” she said.   A total of 11 Emirati women are fully operational as pilots with the airline, while 38 others are navigating their way through cadet pilot training. Etihad has been holding a series of events to mark the second year of Emirati Women’s day, a government-led initiative now held annually on 28 August to recognise the role of Emirati women in the development of the UAE. This year’s theme is Emirati Women and Innovation. The most symbolic of the events was a visit to Etihad Airways’ Training Academy by ten longstanding members of the UAE General Women’s Union (GWU). The delegation met some of the airline’s Emirati female pilots, engineers and business leaders – bringing two generations together in a powerful illustration of the journey of Emirati …

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, will expand its services to Italy with a daily flight to Venice Marco Polo Airport, effective October 30, 2016. The new service will be served by an Airbus A319, offering 16 seats in Business and 90 in Economy. Together with Alitalia, its code-share and equity partner, Etihad Airways will offer 35 weekly flights in and out of Italy, including double daily services to Rome and Milan. Etihad’s Venice flight will offer convenient travel times for guests travelling between the UAE and the Italian city. In addition, the new service will offer seamless connections through Abu Dhabi’s hub to the popular Australia routes of Sydney and Melbourne, as well as key destinations in the GCC, Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, and Northeast Asia. Etihad Airways started flights to Milan in 2007 before Rome was added to the network in 2014, contributing to a strong trade relationship between the United Arab Emirates and Italy. Bilateral trade was valued at $6.14 billion in 2015 and the UAE Ministry of Economy has registered more than 90 Italian companies.

Between 2014 and 2015, first class passenger volumes for Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways on the top 10 Origins & Destinations between Europe and Asia Pacific increased 67%, whilst business class traffic increased by 47%. This staggering growth in premium classes was complemented by healthy overall growth, with a 7% increase in passenger volumes across all cabin classes for these routes.Airports in the Middle East also noticed a shift in traveller habits: passenger traffic for flights between Europe and APAC going through Doha, Abu Dhabi and Dubai increased by 8%. This data was analysed by Amadeus IT Group’s Travel Intelligence team, and takes into account all bookings in the Amadeus system made via traditional and online travel agencies from across the globe. The figures come on the heels of Emirates and Etihad Airways both renewing their distribution agreements to sell their full range of fares to travellers worldwide through travel agents using Amadeus. Qatar Airways has had such an agreement in place since 2014. While the Amadeus distribution channel supports airline growth by providing the technology for them to partner with the world’s largest travel community, Amadeus Travel Intelligence enables airlines and other travel players to make effective use of data and analytics to improve the profitability of their business. Amadeus Travel Intelligence combines the latest big data technologies with rich data sources and a dedicated team of talented data scientists, to deliver unique and actionable insights into each airline’s business. This intelligence provides in-depth information for airlines to gain real insights into overall market dynamics, their own performance and growth opportunities.The top ten most popular Origins & Destinations between Europe and APAC are Frankfurt – Bangkok,  London– Bangkok, …

Etihad Airways has announced plans to increase Airbus A380 service between New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport and Abu Dhabi International Airport in response to heightened demand from guests traveling between the two destinations.  Beginning on June 1, 2017, the airline will upgrade its second flight between Abu Dhabi and New York JFK to its award-winning A380 aircraft which features The Residence, the only three-room suite available in commercial airline operation, and its award-winning First Apartment cabins. The new service will join the airline’s existing daily A380 service, replacing the current daily Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. Etihad Airways first began welcoming guests on board its first A380 flight between New York JFK and Abu Dhabi in November 2015.

Etihad Airways has entered into a code-share with Avianca Brasil.Under the agreement, Etihad Airways will put its ‘EY’ code on domestic flights operated by Avianca Brasil, while Avianca Brasil will put its ‘O6’ code on Etihad Airways flights between Abu Dhabi and São Paulo. Travellers on Etihad Airways flights between Sao Paulo and Abu Dhabi and beyond will benefit from connections to and from eight other Brazilian destinations on Avianca Brasil, including Rio de Janeiro, Curitiba, Florianópolis, Fortaleza, Porto Alegre, Recife, Salvador, and Maceió. Later this year, Etihad Guest members and Avianca Brasil’s Amigo members will be able to earn and redeem miles on code-share flights. “Avianca is an important strategic partner for Etihad Airways in South America. In addition to the code-share agreement recently signed with Avianca Colombia, we are further strengthening our presence in Brazil with a single combined ticket,” said Martin Drew, senior vice president – Americas at Etihad Airways. By end of 2015, Etihad Airways had carried over 340,000 passengers on the route while Avianca Brasil in 2015 transported 8.5 million customers.

Etihad Airways has introduced industry-leading technology powered by Sabre Corporation that helps personalise the travel experience for passengers, enabling them to easily purchase customised fares. The national airline of the United Arab Emirates operates more than 1,000 flights per week to over 120 destinations worldwide. Sabre’s Branded Fares will enable it to effectively market and sell its broad and unique roster of fares globally through the Sabre Travel Marketplace, reaching more than 425,000 travel agents globally including Sabre’s growing network in Asia, propelled by the acquisition of the former Abacus operations, which Sabre acquired in July 2015. Sabre Branded Fares allows airlines to address growing consumer demand for more personalised services that meet individual needs. Using Sabre’s enhanced solution, Sabre-connected travel agents can now provide travellers with Etihad Airways’ Fare Choices, enabling passengers to book different classes of travel with a variety of options, such as bags, seats and mileage to meet specific needs. Fare Choices allow Etihad Airways guests to book different classes of travel with a variety of fare options and benefits tailored to their specific needs. “Etihad Airways is experiencing strong growth and has a clear strategy to provide its passengers with more choice when booking fares,” said Harald Eisenaecher, senior vice president EMEA at Sabre. “We have been working with Etihad Airways to find new ways to further personalise its products and make the booking experience more seamless for passengers. Sabre Branded Fares is just one of several ways we are supporting the carrier’s goals to gain competitive advantage and lead the industry in offering a personalised and customer-centric service to its passengers.” Travel agents using Sabre can now offer clients more informed choices and a higher level of customer service, while also driving upsell opportunities based on enhanced visibility …

Etihad Airways’ much-anticipated A380 touched down in Melbourne on June 3, beginning a new era of luxury travel on the Melbourne-Abu Dhabi and Melbourne-London routes. The A380 features The Residence, the world’s first three-room private suite on a commercial aircraft, as well as ground-breaking innovations in all cabins. The inaugural Abu Dhabi-Melbourne A380 flight – EY460 – departed Abu Dhabi Airport at 10.15pm last night and arrived at Melbourne Airport at 5.45pm. The aircraft, in the airline’s ‘Facets of Abu Dhabi livery, will be welcomed to the Victorian capital by a traditional water cannon salute. The return Melbourne-Abu Dhabi flight – EY461 –departed Melbourne at 10.10pm tonight. From today, the flagship superjumbo will operate one of the airline’s double daily flights between Melbourne and Abu Dhabi. It will replace one of the three-class Boeing 777-300ER aircraft currently deployed on the route. Etihad Airways Senior Vice President of Marketing, Shane O’Hare, said: “Today marks another major milestone for Etihad Airways in Australia. With Melbourne joining our A380 network, Australia is the only country in our global network with daily A380 services to two cities – Melbourne and Sydney. “Deploying our latest technology aircraft and class-leading product and service to Australia recognises its importance to our business and the strong demand from Australian travellers for premium travel experiences. The A380 will increase the total number of two-way seats on the Melbourne-Abu Dhabi route by 26 per cent to more than 11,500 seats per week. Mr O’Hare said this would ease the capacity constraints on the Melbourne-Abu Dhabi, particularly for business and premium leisure travel.