Tag Archives: Etihad

Etihad Airways has implemented a series of consolidated network changes, due to the spread of the COVID-19 and its continuing impact on air travel services globally. This is also being carried out for the safety and convenience of its customers and staff, and to minimise operational disruption during this period. The following services from Abu Dhabi have been temporarily adjusted; Milan (MXP)-all flights suspended until 30 April; Rome (FCO)-EY85/86 suspended until April 30 and EY83/84 suspended until June 30; Beirut (BEY)-all flights suspended from March 16 until March 31; Istanbul (IST)-all flights suspended from March 16 until March 31; Casablanca (CMN) and Rabat (RBA)-all flights suspended from March 16 until March 31; Amman (AMM)-all flights suspended from March 17 until March 31; Madrid (MAD) and Barcelona (BCN)-all flights suspended from March 17 until March 31; Jakarta (CGK)-reduced from double-daily to daily (suspension of EY472/471) from March 18 until June 30; Seoul (ICN)-reduced from daily to four weekly (operating on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays) from March 30 to April 30; Hong Kong (HKG)-all flights suspended until June 30; Bangkok (BKK)-reduced from triple-daily to double-daily (suspension of EY406/405) from March 21 to May 02. The following previously announced network changes remain in place; Riyadh (RUH), Jeddah (JED), Dammam (DMM), Medina (MED)-all flights suspended from March 16 until March 31; Kuwait (KWI)-all flights suspended until March 31; Bahrain (BAH)-reduced from triple-daily to double-daily until March 31; Muscat (MCT)-reduced from triple-daily to double-daily until March 31; Shanghai (PVG)-all flights suspended until March 28; Chengdu (CTU)-all flights suspended until further notice; Nagoya (NGO)-all flights suspended until June 30.

Effective June 1, 2020, Etihad Airways will transfer all its flights to and from Abu Dhabi and Beijing, and its flights to and from Beijing to Nagoya, Japan, to Beijing Daxing International Airport (PKX). Robin Kamark, Etihad Aviation Group Chief Commercial Officer, said, “Since launching flights between Beijing and Abu Dhabi 12 years ago, we have experienced huge growth in China’s tourism and aviation markets, and enjoyed strong demand from business and leisure travellers, and cargo, assisted by direct services, codeshare partners, the mutual visa-exemption policy between the two nations implemented in January 2018, and the great joint efforts put into promoting bi-directional routes. The move also further reinforces our commitment to the China market and our Chinese guests, and contributes to the promising bilateral relationship. “Whilst the spread of COVID-19 has posed a major challenge for all airlines serving China, with a massive drop in demand on key routes, we remain optimistic that the situation will improve by the summer and we continue serving Beijing from Abu Dhabi presently, demonstrating our unwavering support and commitment to our Chinese partners and the China market as a whole,” Kamark added. Maarten de Groof, Chief Commercial Officer, Abu Dhabi Airports, said, “Our sister-airport partnership with Beijing’s brand new airport reflects the importance of our long-standing relationship with the Chinese airport sector. Such cooperation and the ever-growing popularity of Abu Dhabi as a destination has enabled this transfer of flights to Beijing’s new airport and we look forward to continue working with Etihad and our Chinese colleagues to enhance our partnership at all levels in the years ahead.”

Etihad Airways has announced the launch of new seasonal flights to Malaga in Spain, to meet strong customer demand from across the UAE and GCC for flights to the province of Andalucía. Three weekly flights will operate via the Moroccan capital, Rabat, from June 26 to September 13, 2020. Robin Kamark, Chief Commercial Officer, Etihad Aviation Group, said, “Malaga has been on our wish-list for some time and we are tremendously pleased to announce summer season services to the Costa del Sol, a region which for decades has been popular with travellers from across the United Arab Emirates. This will be the only service between the UAE and the main gateway to Andalucía. Together with Madrid and Barcelona, Malaga will be Etihad’s third destination in Spain, further boosting our successful operations to the Iberian Peninsula.” Etihad Airways’ three-class version of the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner features 8 private first suites, 28 business studios and 190 economy smart seats. The introduction of the aircraft will also provide new belly-hold cargo capacity between southern Spain and Abu Dhabi, and beyond to destinations on Etihad’s global route network. The number of visitors from the UAE to Spain has been rising rapidly, thanks in part to a successful Schengen visa waiver programme introduced for UAE nationals in 2015.

The national carrier of the United Arab Emirates, Etihad has upgraded services on three key Asian routes this week, introducing larger aircraft to accommodate growing demand. Flights between the UAE capital, Abu Dhabi, and two major Chinese cities, Shanghai and Chengdu, have been upgraded with next-generation Boeing 787 Dreamliners, while the South Korean city of Seoul has been boosted from a Dreamliner to an Airbus A380 ‘super jumbo’. “Asia-Pacific is the fastest growing air transport region in the world, and China is the fastest-growing individual market. As we continue to modernise our aircraft fleet, and as we work with tourism partners to increase visitor numbers to Abu Dhabi, we are deploying newer, larger planes to key markets throughout our network,” said Robin Kamark, Chief Commercial Officer of Etihad Airways. Chengdu, in south-central China, is a city of 7.4 million people. Etihad has upgraded its daily Abu Dhabi – Chengdu flights from 262-seat Airbus A330-200 aircraft to 299-seat Boeing 787s, a 14 per cent increase in seats. Shanghai, China’s largest city, with a population of more than 24 million, has been upgraded from Boeing 787-9 aircraft to larger Boeing 787-10 jets, seating 336 passengers, up 12 per cent. And Seoul, the capital of South Korea, with a population approaching 10 million, has been upgraded by Etihad from the Boeing 787-10 to the 494-seat Airbus A380, a massive 47 per cent increase. With the upgrades of the Shanghai and Chengdu routes, Etihad now operates Dreamliners to all four of its China gateways, having introduced these planes to Hong Kong and Beijing earlier this year.

From June 1, 2019, Etihad Airways will introduce a new two-class Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner, the largest variant of the technologically advanced aircraft, on its scheduled daily morning service from Abu Dhabi to Rome, complementing the second overnight 777-300ER departure. On July 1, the airline will introduce the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner on its two daily services to Frankfurt. The two-class 787-9 features Etihad Airways’ next-generation Business and Economy Class cabins, configured with 299 seats – 28 Business Studios and 271 Economy Smart Seats. The 336-seat 787-10 features 32 Business Studios and 304 Economy Smart Seats. Robin Kamark, Chief Commercial Officer, Etihad Aviation Group, said, “Rome and Frankfurt are two very important cities on the Etihad global network and have been popular with business and leisure customers alike. The introduction of more state-of-the-art 787s to our fleet is allowing us to further enhance the inflight experience, giving our guests the opportunity to enjoy the most highly customised Dreamliner cabins in the world, upgraded entertainment systems and connectivity, and our acclaimed service and hospitality.”

The Sustainable Bioenergy Research Consortium (SBRC), a non-profit entity established by Masdar Institute that is part of Khalifa University of Science and Technology, has flown the world’s first commercial flight using locally produced sustainable fuel on an Etihad Airways Boeing 787 powered by GE’s GEnx-1B engines.  The flight from Abu Dhabi to Amsterdam marked a major milestone in the development of a clean, alternative aviation fuel to reduce carbon emissions. The initiative also addresses food security in the UAE through the farming of seafood as a core element in the process. The SBRC partners have been working together to prove the concept of a comprehensive value chain that is centered around the Seawater Energy and Agriculture System (SEAS). This is a synergistic industrial platform that supports the aviation sector, the oil and gas industry, food production and the creation of a new agricultural alternative in the UAE. His Excellency Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister, Climate Change and Environment, said, “The UAE’s visionary leadership is strongly committed to positioning the country as a global hub for innovation and sustainability. In this context, productive cross-disciplinary public-private partnerships are crucial to fuelling research and development efforts and creating game-changing innovations that enable a more sustainable future. Deep decarbonisation of energy-intensive industries has a ripple effect on food security and climate action. Clean, alternative aviation fuels are an innovative and sustainable solution to significantly reducing harmful carbon emissions. The UAE is proud to be a pioneer in this domain.” Her Excellency Mariam bint Mohammed Saeed Hareb Al Mheiri, Minister of State for Food Security, said, “This proof of concept is a ground-breaking development that addresses the challenges of energy, water and food …

Set to be held from April 30 to May 1, CONNECT Middle East, India & Africa 2019 is expected to bring together airline specialists, aviation authorities, tourism boards, airports and tour operators, as well as other travel-related industry professionals. Fourteen airlines have already confirmed their participation at CONNECT Middle East, India & Africa – co-located with Arabian Travel Market 2019 and taking place at Dubai World Trade Centre. Senior network planning teams from Emirates, Etihad, flydubai, Air Arabia, Air Asia, EgyptAir, flyadeal, Ethiopian Airlines, Global Airways, Atlas Global, Germania, Mahan Air, Royal Air Maroc and Titan Airways will attend the inaugural route development forum. Throughout 2018, GCC airlines have added 58 new flight routes – focusing on areas of consistent and substantial growth – according to research from Colliers International – based on a sample of 10 airlines including Emirates, Etihad, flydubai, Salaam Air, Oman Air, Gulf Air, Saudia, flyadeal, Air Arabia and IndiGo airlines. Karin Butot, CEO, The Airport Agency, said, “2018 has been an exciting year for new flight routes both to and from the GCC, underscoring Dubai as the ideal location to bring together professionals from the aviation and tourism industry for the inaugural CONNECT Middle East, India and Africa forum. With up to 400 delegates, CONNECT Middle East, India & Africa 2019 will include unlimited one-to-one pre-scheduled appointments, a conference programme, panel discussions and airline and  industry briefings as well as an exhibition area dedicated to airports and suppliers.” Nick Pilbeam, Divisional Director, Reed Travel Exhibitions, said, “It is an ideal base for exploring some of the world’s most interesting and previously inaccessible corners of the world. And the GCC’s airlines are making it even easier with the …

Gulf Air and Etihad are set to explore deeper cooperation following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at the Bahrain International Airshow. The wide-ranging MOU covers scope to introduce joint codeshare operations between Abu Dhabi and Manama, as well as on the global flight networks beyond the two carriers’ GCC hubs. The MOU also contains plans for greater commercial cooperation in the fields of cargo, engineering, guest experience and the optimisation of pilot training facilities. It was signed by Tony Douglas, Group Chief Executive Officer, Etihad Aviation Group and Krešimir Kučko, Chief Executive Officer, Gulf Air on the first day of the ongoing show at the Sakhir Airbase. Krešimir Kučko said, “The relationship between Bahrain and the UAE is strong in many fields, including aviation and with the signing of this MOU, we enrich the relationship by cooperating with Etihad Airways. This is an example of how two airlines can work hand-in-hand for greater mutual benefits. We are happy to work with our friends and colleagues in Etihad and support each other to achieve bigger goals.” According to Tony Douglas, “The deep ties between Abu Dhabi and Manama are well-known in the aviation world and date back nearly 70 years. Therefore, the natural way to build upon those ties is to examine ways in which the two flag carriers can work more closely together to improve business operations and enhance the experience for our guests. We look forward to the Etihad and Gulf Air teams coming together during the next few months to look at how we can put that in place, whether it is in codeshare, engineering, cargo, or through our frequent flyer programmes.”

Etihad Aviation Group (EAG) debuts its engaging and multifunctional booth under the theme “Embracing China, Expanding Partnership” at the First China International Import Expo (CIIE) at the National Exhibition and Conventional Centre in Shanghai. The CIIE held from November 5 to 10 aimed at gathering government officials, business communities, exhibitors and professional purchasers from across the world, and providing new channels for countries and regions to do business, strengthening cooperation and promoting the prosperity of global economics and trade. According to the CIIE, about 2,800 companies from more than 130 countries and regions will showcase products to an estimated 150,000 buyers at this 6-day event. Etihad Aviation Group participated in the CIIE as an exhibitor with a dedicated stand covering more than 100 square meters at the trade in services sector in the business pavilion area. For the first time, Etihad Aviation Group exhibited its various business divisions to Chinese and international customers, including award-winning passenger and cargo services and products, state-of-the-art aviation training facilities for pilots and crew, industry-leading aircraft maintenance and engineering solutions, full event and leisure planning services by its destination management division, and much more. Tony Douglas, Chief Executive Officer, Etihad Aviation Group, said, “China is a strategically important market for Etihad. We have steadily and sustainably grown our presence in this country since we first entered the market in 2008. Currently, we operate daily flights between Abu Dhabi and China’s four main gateways – Beijing, Chengdu, Shanghai and Hong Kong – and dedicated 777 freighter services between Abu Dhabi and two key trading ports in China: Shanghai and Hong Kong.” China is the key trading partner of the UAE with non-oil trade expected to rise …

Etihad Airways will introduce Boeing 787-9 on its daily scheduled services from Abu Dhabi to Kuala Lumpur, effective December 20, 2018 and to Brussels, effective January 3, 2019. The new two-class 787 Dreamliner service features Etihad Airways’ next-generation Business and Economy Class cabins, configured with 299 seats – 28 Business Studios and 271 Economy Smart Seats. Etihad Airways’ modern fleet of 21 Boeing 787-9 aircraft feature innovative, award-winning cabin designs and products, complemented by the airline’s acclaimed service and hospitality offering. Flights include Food and Beverage Managers in Business Class and a Flying Nanny in Economy Class to provide specialised care for families with young children. Robin Kamark, Chief Commercial Officer, Etihad Aviation Group said, “Kuala Lumpur and Brussels are two very important destinations on the Etihad network, popular with both business and leisure customers and we are delighted to be introducing the 787-9 Dreamliner on these routes. Our customers can expect the quietest cabins and our latest in-flight products and technology, one of the world’s most technologically advanced and fuel-efficient aircraft. Our customers flying between Abu Dhabi and these capitals continue to benefit from convenient departure and arrival times at both ends, and those transiting through Abu Dhabi enjoy seamless connections onto Etihad’s global route network.”