Etihad Airways to enter new markets in Azerbaijan, Georgia and Tanzania

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has announced the expansion of its ever-growing network with the addition of Baku, Tbilisi and Dar es Salaam in the second half of 2015.

It’s the ninth new destination to be announced for the year ahead at Etihad, and the company has shown very little signs of slowing down.

The fast-growing Caucasus region will be a major focus area for Etihad next year, with new flights to Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, being operated four times a week from 1 October, while flights to Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, will be served three times a week from 2 October.

Both cities are famed for their warm hospitality and natural beauty, offering a breath-taking range of botanic gardens and parks, as well as historic attractions, museums and galleries.

Etihad Airways will also commence a daily flights to Dar es Salaam, the largest city in Tanzania, from 1 December 2015, providing access to one of East Africa’s most important economic and government centres, and the country’s many tourist attractions, including pristine beaches, wildlife safaris, and the world’s highest free-standing mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro.

Flights to all three destinations will be operated using Airbus A320 aircraft in a two-class configuration, with a total of 16 seats in Business Class and 120 seats in Economy Class.

Launch schedule of new Etihad Airways routes in 2015:

Destination	Launch Date	Frequency
Kolkata	15 February 2015	Daily
Madrid	29 March 2015	Daily
Entebbe	1 May 2015	Daily
Edinburgh	8 June 2015	Daily
Hong Kong	15 June 2015	4 per Week
Algiers	17 June 2015	3 per Week
Baku	1 October 2015	4 per Week
Tbilisi	2 October 2015	3 per Week
Dar es Salaam	1 December 2015	Daily

Etihad Airways’ new schedule provides more choice to and from South Africa

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), today announced changes to its schedule between Abu Dhabi and Johannesburg, effective 26 October 2014.

The change in the flight schedule, with new daily departure options from Abu Dhabi to Johannesburg and vice versa, will provide travellers in either direction with improved opportunities to connect onwards to regional networks across Africa, and internationally beyond the airline’s hub in Abu Dhabi.

The new schedule will also provide passengers with a significant increase in weekly connections between Johannesburg and a number of key Asian business and leisure destinations on the airline’s fast growing global network, including Chengdu (China), Singapore and Phuket (Thailand).

The new Johannesburg schedule, effective Sunday, 26 October 2014 will be as follows:

Flight No.	From	To	Dept. Time	Arr Time	Days
EY602	AUH	JNB	2:00am	8:40am	Wed, Fri, Sun
EY601	JNB	AUH	9:55am	8:15pm	Wed, Fri, Sun
EY604	AUH	JNB	10:35am	5:10pm	Mon, Tues, Thurs, Sat
EY603	JNB	AUH	8:30pm	6:40am +1	Mon, Tues, Thurs, Sat

All times are local

Etihad Regional Marks Start of Direct Zurich-Turin Service

Etihad Regional has commenced a three-times-per-week service from Zurich, Switzerland, to Turin, the capital of the Piedmont region of Italy.

The airline officially celebrated the occasion today when flight F7498, operated by Etihad Regional’s newly branded 50-seat Saab 2000 aircraft, touched down at Turin Airport at 8:40am local time.

Turin is a major cultural and business centre located in northern Italy, close to the Alps and the border with France. Its airport serves a region of more than 4.5 million people.

Maurizio Merlo, Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Regional, said: “Etihad Regional is proud to be the first airline to offer a direct air link between Zurich and Turin.

“The new route will extend our presence in the Italian market, where we already operate to Rome, Florence and Bolzano, and where soon we will also fly to and from Verona.

“Both business and leisure travellers will benefit from the new service, further facilitating the already strong trade and tourism ties between Switzerland and Italy.

“Today demonstrates our strategy to continue building a strong regional airline network linking European cities and towns, which also connects to the global network of our partners, including Etihad Airways and airberlin.”

Welcoming the launch, Roberto Barbieri, Chief Executive Officer of Turin Airport, said: “We are delighted that Etihad Regional has commenced operations here, which will boost the regional economy, and offer the airline’s passengers a convenient new entry point to Italy through our modern and efficient facility.”

Beyond linking Turin and Zurich, the new flights will also offer travellers a convenient way to connect on Etihad Airways’ upcoming services from Zurich to Abu Dhabi.*

Flights beyond Abu Dhabi, offered by Etihad Airways and its equity partners, Jet Airways and Virgin Australia connect well with destinations in the Middle East, Indian subcontinent, Asia and Australia. 

Etihad Airways Wins at Travelplus Awards

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has picked up two coveted Travelplus Awards for its unique ‘Inspired by Sougha’ amenity bags and its new all-natural First Class COCO-MAT bedding.

The airline won the awards for ‘Ethically Sustainable Amenity Kit’ and ‘In-Flight Amenity-Gift’ at the annual Travelplus gala awards ceremony held yesterday in Hamburg.

The Airline Amenity Bag Awards 2013 celebrate the best onboard comfort and hospitality products in the airline industry, and the innovation, creativity and design of both the airlines and their onboard suppliers. Over 120 submissions and entries in 20 categories were judged using a strict set of criteria covering trend, pleasure, luxury, usability and style.

Peter Baumgartner, Chief Commercial Officer of Etihad Airways, said: “Sougha means ‘a traveller’s gift’ in Arabic and we introduced our new amenity kits to provide something uniquely Arabian to our guests, and more importantly, as a way of supporting and celebrating local Emirati craftsmanship on a global stage. 

“To also receive an award for our Diamond First Class COCO-MAT bedding so soon after we introduced it onboard is a testament to the high standards of this unique all-natural product. Guest feedback has been universally positive, and Etihad Airways will continue to place great emphasis on providing the best sleep in the air.”

Launched in February this year, the new kits are the result of Etihad Airways’ partnership with Sougha, a social enterprise initiative launched by the Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development, which aims to preserve Emirati traditions and promote local artisans.

The new amenity bags are offered in Diamond First, Pearl Business and Coral Economy cabins and feature patterns of Sadou, a colourful, intricate and centuries-old Abu Dhabi weaving craft traditionally used on blankets, cushions and Bedouin tents.

Exclusive COCO-MAT multi-layered mattresses, made from extracts of the Hevea tree, and large down feather duvets and pillows were introduced in the airline’s Diamond First Class suites in March of this year. Etihad Airways is the only airline to offer this bespoke product onboard. Athens-based COCO-MAT is widely considered the world’s leading manufacturer of sustainably sourced sleep products.

Etihad Airways and Spanish Air Europa signed codeshare agreement

UAE flag carrier Etihad Airways and Spanish airline Air Europa have signed a codeshare agreement which will see both carriers significantly enhance access to and from Spain, the UAE and to destinations across globe.

Under the terms of the agreement and subject to regulatory approvals, Air Europa plans to commence a three times a week direct service between Madrid and Abu Dhabi in late 2014.

Etihad Airways will place its EY flight code on the new Airbus A330 operated flights, offering direct access to Madrid for the very first time through its global Abu Dhabi hub.

The two airlines will work together in the run up to the route launch, with Etihad Airways initially placing its code on Air Europa-operated flights to Madrid from Amsterdam, Brussels and Milan Malpensa and beyond Madrid to Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca.

In return, Air Europa will place its UX flight code on Etihad Airways flights from Amsterdam, Brussels and Milan Malpensa to Abu Dhabi.

Furthermore, during summer 2014, both airlines plan to expand the number of codeshare destinations to include new cities in Spain and South America via Madrid, and more cities beyond Abu Dhabi across the Gulf region, Africa, Asia, and Australia.

Etihad Airways’ President and Chief Executive Officer, James Hogan, said: “The fact that Air Europa has chosen Abu Dhabi for the next wave of its international expansion, speaks volumes of what the emirate and our global hub have to offer.

“We have been keen to offer our customers direct access to the Spanish capital for a number of years, and doing this now in partnership with Air Europa makes perfect business sense.  It is the right thing to do.

“The new route will support the growing trade volumes between the UAE and Spain, up 75 per cent over the last three years, introduce more Spanish business and leisure travellers to the world class city that is Abu Dhabi, not to mention, make access to Abu Dhabi, Madrid and numerous destinations across our combined networks easier than ever.”

Juan José Hidalgo, Air Europa’s President and Chief Executive Officer, said: “We have chosen Abu Dhabi and Etihad Airways as the gateway to India, China, Australia and other destinations served in the Far East.

“As one of the most important operators to the American continent, especially Central and South America via our hub in Madrid, for Air Europa the agreement between the two airlines is a step forward in a global market.

“Both airlines will provide an excellent link between America and Asia via Madrid and Abu Dhabi.”

All of the codeshare operations announced today will be implemented once regulatory approvals are received and the launch date of the new Madrid-Abu Dhabi service will be confirmed in the coming weeks.

Biofuel: The future of the aviation industry?

UAE national carrier, Etihad Airways, becomes first airline in the Middle East to operate biofuel-powered flight.

In a unique collaboration, Etihad Airways, Boeing, Takreer, Total, and the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, announce major environmental initiative called BIOjet Abu Dhabi: Flight Path to Sustainability.

The new initiative is set to reinforce Etihad’s position as an airline with solid green credentials, while driving the commercialisation of sustainable aviation fuel in Abu Dhabi, the region, and globally.

The announcement of this initiative comes one day after Etihad conducted a demonstration flight with a Boeing 777 powered in part by the first UAE-produced biokerosene, developed from an innovative plant biomass-processing technology.

The biofuel was partially converted from biomass by oil and gas company Total and then refined into jet fuel and quality-tested by Takreer, a wholly owned subsidiary of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), adding the UAE to a handful of countries that have produced and flown on their own biokerosene.

As the airline industry continues to grow year after year, with more planes emitting carbon dioxide into the skies than ever before, biofuel could just be the answer to the future of ‘cleaner’ and ‘greener’ travel.

Etihad celebrates record-breaking growth in 2013

Approximately 12 million people flew with Etihad Airways last year, marking a significant increase of almost 16 per cent in comparison to 2012’s figure of 10.3 million.

Flights to Bangkok was once again the airline’s busiest route, with a total of 742,759 passengers flying to Thailand’s capital city in 2013, a year-on-year increase of seven per cent.

Manila was the second busiest route (547,068 passengers), followed by London (544,564 passengers), Jeddah (373,651 passengers) and Paris (338,969 passengers).

Etihad carried 73 per cent of the more than 16.4 million passengers who travelled through Abu Dhabi airport in 2013. With the addition of the airline’s equity alliance partners that operate flights into Abu Dhabi, the combined total rises to 79 per cent of passenger traffic at Abu Dhabi airport.

James Hogan, President and CEO of Etihad Airways, said: “Our record-breaking numbers in 2013 reflect the continued success of our strategic master plan, which focuses on three fundamental pillars; organic network growth, the forging of codeshare partnerships, and minority equity investments in other airlines."

Six destinations were introduced to Etihad Airways’ network in 2013, with new services launched to Washington DC in March, Amsterdam in May, Sao Paulo and Belgrade in June, Sana’a in September, and Ho Chi Minh City in October.

Frequencies were also increased on 18 existing routes last year and new codeshare agreements were signed with Kenya Airways, Air Serbia, South African Airways, Belavia, Korean Airlines, Air Canada and airBaltic.

During 2013, building on its organic growth, Etihad Airways also stretched its codeshare and equity partnerships, which delivered more than 1.8 million passengers onto Etihad Airways flights, 38 per cent higher than the 1.3 million in 2012.

In addition to its four existing equity partners – airberlin, Air Seychelles, Virgin Australia and Aer Lingus -  Etihad Airways announced investments in three additional carriers in 2013.

In August, Etihad formalised a five-year contract to manage Serbia’s national carrier, Air Serbia (formerly Jat Airways), with a 49 per cent equity stake. This was followed in November, when the airline obtained regulatory approval from the Indian government to finalise a 24 per cent investment in Jet Airways, and announced its intention to acquire 33.3 per cent of the Swiss regional carrier Darwin Airline, which will become the first airline to operate under the new brand of Etihad Regional.

Impressive cargo growth was also reported, with 486,753 tonnes of freight and mail flown by Etihad Airways last year, a staggering increase of 32 per cent compared to 2012 volumes. The airline accounted for 89 per cent of cargo imports, exports and transfers at Abu Dhabi airport last year.

Volumes were boosted by enhancements to the freighter fleet capability and more cargo in the bellyhold of passenger aircraft. Established markets such as China, Hong Kong and India were top performers, in addition to expanding markets such as the Netherlands and the United States.

Last year, Etihad Airways took delivery of eight Airbus aircraft (four A320s, one A321, two A330-200s and one A330 freighter), eight Boeing aircraft (six 777-300ERs and two 777 freighters), and added further leased capacity which included the airline’s inaugural 747-8 freighter. Its fleet now comprises 89 aircraft, with an average age of only 5.2 years.

Etihad Airways Appoints Juan Torres as GM Philippines

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has appointed Mr Juan Torres as General Manager for the Philippines.

Etihad Airways’ Chief Commercial Officer Peter Baumgartner said the airline was delighted to welcome Juan Torres back to Manila following successful terms as General Manager in Tokyo as well as Brazil, where earlier this year he launched Etihad Airways’ new Abu Dhabi-Sao Paulo services.

“Juan is one of the most experienced airline executives in our global commercial team and it’s with pleasure that we welcome him back to the Philippines.

“His previous assignment in the Philippines has equipped him with a deep understanding of the Philippines market and strong stakeholder relationships.

“Much has changed for Etihad Airways and its relationship with the Philippines since Juan helped launch our services to Manila in 2006. Back then we operated a schedule of four weekly A330-200 flights; today, we serve the Philippines capital with two flights a day and a larger-capacity Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.

“The experience Juan has gained in Japan and Brazil will be a great asset to the airline as it continues to drive its commercial and brand building programs in the Philippines.”

Mr Baumgartner also acknowledged the contribution that outgoing General Manager for the Philippines, John Rees Evans, had made during his tenure in the role.

“John has led the Philippines’ business ably in the 18 months he has been in the role and leaves behind a solid legacy.

“Key among John’s achievements is the leadership and support he has provided to our Manila-based team and our industry customers – most recently following the catastrophic Typhoon Haiyan.

“We are delighted to have John relocating to Nepal where he will be responsible for leading the airline’s commercial programs and team in that market. We wish him all the best for the new role.”

Juan Torres starts his new role on February 3, 2014, relocating from Sao Paulo where he has been Etihad Airways’ Area General Manager for South America and Brazil since June 2012. Prior to his posting to Brazil, Juan spent two years in Tokyo as Etihad Airways’ General Manager for Japan and played a key role in the launch of Etihad Airways’ services to Tokyo (Narita) and Nagoya.

Before joining Etihad Airways, Juan Torres was with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines where he held a number of key senior management positions in different markets around the world.

Etihad Airways commenced flights to the Philippines in February 2006. The airline currently operates 14 flights a week to Manila using a two-class Boeing B777 aircraft.

Etihad Airways to add Dallas to its flight network in 2014

It’s an exciting time at Etihad Airways as the Abu Dhabi-based carrier announces the latest addition to its ever-increasing destination paths - Dallas Fort Worth, Texas.

Following Etihad Airways’ pledge to continue to expand its US flight network to cater to the growing demand, the carrier will offer the ultra-long haul direct flights three times a week starting from 3 December 2014.

Etihad Airways will deploy a three cabin ultra-long range Boeing 777-200LR on the Dallas operation, with 189 Coral Economy Class seats, 40 Pearl Business Class flatbed seats and 8 Diamond First Class suites.

The new flights to Dallas mark the United Arab Emirates’ national airline’s fifth destination in the United States and will join Etihad’s existing offering of flights to Chicago, flights to New York City, flights to Washington D.C., and flights to Los Angeles. The addition means Etihad Airways will provide 31 return flights each week between the UAE and US by December 2014.

Overall, it has been a fantastic year for Etihad Airways. The announcement of the new flights to Dallas follows the naming of Etihad Airways as Airline of the Year by leading US magazine, Global Traveler.

Etihad Airways also won the awards for Best Airline for First Class and Best Airport Lounges, voted for by Global Traveler readers. And if that wasn’t enough applause for one year, the carrier was also voted World’s Leading Airline at the World Travel Awards for the fifth consecutive year, as well as World’s Leading Airline First Class and World’s Leading Airline Cabin Crew - not bad at all for an airline that has only just turned 10 years old.