The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Etihad

  • Etihad trials virtual reality tech for airports

    Etihad Airways has started trialing SkyLights Aero Virtual Reality (VR) entertainment technology at its flagship First Class Lounge and Spa and Business Class Premium Lounge, at Abu Dhabi International Airport’s Terminal 3. The aim of the month-long trial is to gather customer feedback to determine the airline’s future lounge entertainment offering at Abu Dhabi’s state-of-the-art Midfield Terminal.

    SkyLights is a leading provider of entertainment solutions, working closely with leading airline industry partners to leverage the latest cinematic VR technology to transform their inflight and ground experience. The company has offices in San Francisco, Paris and Toulouse.

    Linda Celestino, Etihad Airways Vice President Guest Experience and Delivery, said: “As with the Etihad inflight experience, we are constantly investigating ways to enhance our service and hospitality offering on the ground through innovative technology and customisation.

    By conducting trials such as this, we already understand that modern travellers expect more information and seek increasingly connected and immersive experiences which engage and entertain them on every level. Gone are the days when a premium lounge experience just meant comfortable design, luxurious amenities and fine dining.

    “The development of this type of technology could also allow us to provide more personalisation and end-to-end entertainment solutions across all customer demographics, reinforcing our strategy of providing greater choice at every stage of the customer journey.”

    The SkyLights ALLOSKY VR headsets deliver an immersive, HD resolution, cinematic experience in 2D and 3D, featuring intuitive technology for ease of use and noise cancelling headphones. Each set has a battery life of over six hours which allows for uninterrupted enjoyment from a catalogue of recent blockbuster movies, selected 360° short films, TV series, documentaries and children’s programming.

    Throughout the trial, Etihad staff will assist interested guests at dedicated areas within both lounges. Each session will end with a short manual questionnaire.

  • Etihad wins Middle East Call Centre awards 

    Etihad Airways has emerged winner of Insights Middle East Call Centre Awards.

    The awards, according to a statement by the airline, set regional benchmark for remote customer interaction success. Last week’s competition was the 12th in its series.

    The airline collected two prestigious awards at the ceremony, which held at The Crowne Plaza Hotel in Dubai.

    The airline was awarded with Best Large Call Centre for its  three UAE Contact Centres and Call Centre Manager of the Year awarded to Ahmed Murshed, the Al Ain Contact Centre Manager.

    Ruth Birkin, Head of Global Contact Centres for Etihad Airways, said: “I am delighted that the team has again been recognised for its service quality and commitment to constantly developing the services we offer further.

    “As well as providing tailored solutions to guests, we’re always looking for ways of improving business efficiencies while continuing to provide high-quality services to our passengers and trade partners around the world. ”The airline operates  four contact centres including two in Al Ain and one in Abu Dhabi, plus a further facility in  Manchester in the United Kingdom. The Al Ain Keshi Pearl and Abu Dhabi contact centres  operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week from all over the world.

    The other unit at Al Ain is called the Black Pearl centre and opened in 2011.

  • Etihad, Lufthansa Airlines sign pact

    Etihad Airways and Lufthansa German Airlines have announced the conclusion of a codeshare agreement.

    The arrangement is set to commence this month.

    Under the deal, the German airline will place its ‘LH’ code on Etihad Airways’ twice daily non-stop flights between its home base of Abu Dhabi and Frankfurt.

    The call sign will also be placed on its twice daily non-stop services between Abu Dhabi and Munich, the biggest city in southern Germany.

    The United Arab Emirates national airline will, in turn, put its ‘EY’ code on Lufthansa’s long-haul, non-stop intercontinental services between its home base of Frankfurt, the business and commercial capital of Germany, and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil as well as Bogota, Colombia.

    President/Chief Executive Officer, Etihad Aviation Group, James Hogan said: “We have long seen Germany as a key strategic market for Etihad Aviation Group and this new relationship with Lufthansa marks the next step in our commitment to the leading European aviation group. Lufthansa is highly respected globally and I’m very pleased that we will work together in the future for the benefit of our customers.

    “Additionally, we are, in our role as a minority shareholder in airberlin, fully supportive of the separate agreement reached today with the Lufthansa Group to wet lease 38 airberlin aircraft. It is very clear to us at Etihad Airways that Lufthansa is a like-minded, forward thinking organisation with which we can do strong, meaningful and mutually beneficial business.”

    Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Lufthansa Group, Carsten Spohr said: “We are looking forward to partnering with the Etihad Aviation Group. The wet-lease contract with airberlin fosters the growth of our Eurowings Group. The codeshare agreement of Lufthansa and Etihad will offer our customers more benefits and complement both airlines’ networks. We will consider extending our cooperation in other areas.”

  • Etihad partners Spar on loyalty programme

    Etihad Airways  has  signed a pact   with  SPAR Nigeria to reward shoppers under its SPAR Reward Card loyalty programme.

    The campaign,  according to a statement by the airline, will run on a monthly basis and will  end  with a grand finale in December when the SPAR Shopper of the Year will be announced.

    SPAR Reward Card customers who spend N20,000 or more in a month, the airline said,  will automatically be entered into a grand finale draw, with the SPAR Shopper of the Year.

    The winner will be  rewarded with an all-inclusive visit to Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates capital city, including complimentary Business Class tickets and a four-night’s stay at one of the leading partner hotels.

    George Mawadri, Etihad Airways’ General Manager in Nigeria, said: “ We are excited to join with leading retail chain SPAR Nigeria on this promotion, which gives Nigerian shoppers the opportunity to enjoy great discounts on tickets and ticket upgrades on Etihad Airways’ flights, when they shop with SPAR.”

    John Goldsmith, Head of Marketing, SPAR Nigeria, said: “With this promotion, Etihad Airways has again demonstrated its commitment to the Nigerian community, which is sure to bring a smile to the faces of our loyal shoppers in SPAR stores across the country.’’

    meanwhile , Emirates has completed a major makeover of its Business Class lounge at Concourse B of Dubai International Airport.

    The refurbishment project took two years to complete and is part of the airline’s continuous investments to improve and upgrade its products for a seamless and enjoyable travel experience.

    Emirates’ premium customers can now look forward to an enhanced lounge experience with three new distinct concept areas within the Emirates Business Class Lounge.

  • Etihad presents tickets to Arese, The Voice Nigeria winner

    Etihad presents tickets to Arese, The Voice Nigeria winner

    Following her victory at the recently concluded The Voice Nigeria singing competition, Etihad Airways has presented Agharese Emokpae, popularly known as Arese, and her partner with air tickets to Abu Dhabi to experience some of the best entertainment and attractions the capital of the UAE has to offer. This is coming as part of the sponsorship of the programme.

    Making the presentation recently, George Mawadri, Etihad Airways’ General Manager, Nigeria, said: “We are delighted to support the first season of this show, which has proved to be a tremendous hit with the Nigerian public. She will also be provided with four-night’s complimentary stay at one of the city’s leading premium hotels.

    “I congratulate Arese on winning the competition, and I’m sure that she and her companion will have a marvellous time when they fly with Etihad Airways, and during their stay in Abu Dhabi.”

    Around 50 of the best singers and bands in Nigeria took part in the competition – which was whittled down in the preliminary stages to a line-up of just eight contestants taking part in the finale, which took place at Sasani Studios, Johannesburg, South Africa on Sunday, 31st July.

    Following the closely fought competition, which was determined by public vote and verified by Deloitte, Agharese Emokpae, popularly known as Arese, was announced winner of The Voice Nigeria.

    Abu Dhabi is a unique and modern city which is fast becoming one of the world’s most exciting cultural and commercial tourism hubs, providing visitors with the opportunity to experience the best of traditional and modern Arabian hospitality.

     

  • Etihad enhances maintenance efficiency

    Etihad Airways Engineering has enhanced its aircraft maintenance capability with a new Automated Tool Control (ATC) system which provides engineers with greater tool access, handling and traceability. It also eliminates the risk of tools being lost in critical aircraft systems during maintenance.

    Connected by Wi-Fi to a central server, and capable of providing an audit trail of the last 15,000 transactions, the automated system tracks the tools that are selected and is immediately able to identify any broken, lost or unreturned tools.

    The toolbox can’t be opened until the engineers scan their badge against the reader mounted on the front of the box.

    The badge identifies the engineer as an authorised user and the box unlocks.

    Using the built-in touchscreen, the engineer confirms their job task (work order / task number) and job location.

    According to the airline, the new system was successfully tried at Abu Dhabi International Airport in November 2015, and was rolled out across all Etihad Airways Engineering maintenance bays in January.

    Around 350 workers have been trained on the new system, with over 50,000 transactions being recorded to-date – with no missing tools.

    Speaking on the development, Jeff Wilkinson, Senior Vice President, Etihad Airways, Technical, said: “Tool control is a key factor for success as we look at ways to improve maintenance processes that reduce workflow, optimise efficiency and enhance safety.

    “With our new ATC system, our engineers are able to get on with the job quickly and efficiently, without having to take additional steps to track, register or look for the tools they are using, saving significant amount of time.

    ‘’This also enhances safety as a lost tool isn’t just an inconvenience to the engineer, but it’s also a potential safety hazard if unintentionally left inside an aircraft,” he added.

    Multiple systems, some consisting of up to 1,000 individual tools per box, and others with dedicated tools for electrical and cabin engineering work, are allocated by the systems administrator to an authorised engineer assigned to a specific maintenance task on the aircraft.

  • Etihad appoints manager for Africa

    Etihad Airways, the national airline for the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has announced the appointment of Bradley Edwards as its new Regional Business Development Manager for the Sub-Saharan Africa & Indian Ocean region.

    Based at Etihad Airways’ new offices in Sandton, Johannesburg, Bradley will oversee key sales strategies across seven countries in Africa with the objective of accelerating the growth of Etihad’s revenues through expanded distribution and segmentation strategies, which increase awareness of the airline and its market share across the region.

    Maurice Phohleli, Etihad Airways’ Vice President Africa Sub-Sahara and Indian Ocean Islands, said: “We are delighted to welcome Bradley to our regional team. Our growing commitment in Africa has seen our regional team grow in order to serve our customers and partners even more efficiently.”

    An alumnus of Henley Business School, Bradley completed his Master of Business Administration in 2013. He also studied Tourism Management at the University of South Africa and Technikon Witwatersrand.

    Bradley has worked in the tourism sector for over 15 years. Prior to joining Etihad Airways, he held various managerial positions at Comair Ltd, British Airways PLC Group and South African Airways, driving sales strategies and ensuring route profitability.

    On taking up his new position, Bradley said: “I’m honoured to be joining Etihad Airways’ regional team. The increase in regional demand presents some exciting opportunities for the industry and I look forward to engaging with various stakeholders to meet this growth.”

    Bradley will report to Maurice Phohleli, and work very closely with the local South African team headed by General Manager, John Friel.

  • Nicole Kidman criticised for being face of Etihad

    Nicole Kidman criticised for being face of Etihad

    Nicole Kidman is facing a ton of criticism from flight attendants over her new role as the face of Etihad Airways.

    In their opinion, Kidman, who has campaigned for women whilst serving as U.N. Goodwill Ambassador for women since 2006, should not be appearing in an ad campaign for Etihad, owned by the United Arab Emirates.

    In a statement, the Association of Professional Flight Attendants has criticized Kidman for her association with the company, citing reports that Etihad has fired women for becoming pregnant and forces flight attendants to live in confined compounds.

    “Last month, on March 8, International Women’s Day, you said, ‘I envisage a world where all women and girls have equal opportunities and rights … Now is the time to step it up…We urge you, on behalf of the women and girls that you spoke of so eloquently [on International Women’s Day], not to play a part in promoting Etihad Airways, a company that imposes abusive labor practices on its female employees and whose sole owner is a government that stands against the very world that you imagine,” the statement reads.

    “The APFA — a union that represents 25,000 flight attendants, including nearly 19,000 female crewmembers — has long been a leading voice on the issue of discriminatory labor practices in our industry,” the group continued. “We would gladly welcome your voice to our effort.”

    In responding to the allegations, the airlines fires back in a statement that it is inundated with job applications from prospective employees.

    “We strive to attract the top talent in the industry and it’s working. Last year, we were inundated with requests from people for the opportunities Etihad Airways offers – with more than 260,000 who applied to join the airline from all over the world – 57 times more applications than we had total job openings‎ which included 1,700 crew position and approximately 500 pilot openings.”

    The airline said that in a recent independent employee opinion survey, 93 percent said they are proud to work at Etihad Airways and the overall employee engagement score of 76 percent was 18 percent better than that of the global average.

    The statement added: “Our commitment to the welfare, safety, and well-being of the diverse group of men and women who have worked so hard to make Etihad Airways great is one of our airline’s top priorities.”

    Specifically addressing the claims about pregnancy, Etihad said it “fully supports its cabin crew during and after their pregnancy”.

    “When a cabin crew member informs Etihad of a pregnancy, she is provided with appropriate ground duties for the duration of their pregnancy. During this time, she remains fully compensated and fully engaged on the ground.

    “Cabin crew are also entitled to paid maternity leave if they have completed more than one year’s service. Our cabin crew are then able to return to their flying role at the end of their maternity leave period. The health and safety of our cabin crew remains paramount. Therefore, we follow the GCAA requirement that crew do not continue to fly while pregnant.”

    according to Arabian Business.

    Kidman’s rep did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

     

  • Etihad extends flights to Mumbai, New Delhi

    Etihad extends flights to Mumbai, New Delhi

    Etihad Airways  has announced that Mumbai and New Delhi will become its first destinations in India to be served with triple-daily flights, strengthening its unparalleled offering with Jet Airways into and out of the country.

    Both cities will be upgraded from their current double-daily frequencies, with the third daily flight to Mumbai starting on February, 15  2015 and to New Delhi on May 1, 2015. The development will provide business and leisure travellers with more options throughout the day between the UAE and India, and enhance India’s connections with markets across Etihad Airways’ global network.

    Along with Jet Airways’ services, both airlines will connect Abu Dhabi to 14 Indian cities, with over 200 return flights each week. This includes five flights a day to Mumbai, four flights a day to New Delhi, three flights a day to Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kochi, two flights a day to Ahmedabad and Kozhikode, and daily flights to Jaipur and Trivandrum.

    Etihad Airways will also launch a daily service to Kolkata, capital of West Bengal, on 15 February 2015 to support its long-term development plan in India, and Jet Airways has announced it will soon launch daily services between Abu Dhabi and Goa, Lucknow and Pune.

    In addition to the airline’s network developments, Etihad Airways has upgraded its aircraft on a number of Indian routes, including the debut of three-class, wide-body aircraft on select flights. The airline will also operate its new Boeing 787-9 on Mumbai evening services in January 2015.

  • Etihad increases services in Africa

    Etihad Airways will expand its African route network with the launch of a daily service to Dar es Salaam, the largest city in Tanzania.

    Flights between Abu Dhabi and Dar es Salaam, which commence on 1 December 2015, will be operated using Airbus A320 aircraft with 16 Business Class and 120 Economy Class seats.

    Dar es Salaam will be Etihad Airways’ 110th destination globally, and its 11th destination in Africa and the Indian Ocean. The daily schedule will offer two-way connectivity over Etihad Airways’ hub in Abu Dhabi, with convenient onward connections to 45 popular destinations across the Middle East, Europe, the Indian Subcontinent, North and Southeast Asia, and Australasia.

    In particular, it is anticipated that the demand for the new route will be boosted by strong flows of business and leisure travellers, as well as cargo volumes, between the East Africa region and the Indian Subcontinent and China.

    James Hogan, President and Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Airways, said: “Dar es Salaam is an important new route on Etihad Airways’ global network. It builds upon our existing presence in Africa, and supports the close trading relationship between the United Arab Emirates and Tanzania.”

    The UAE is the primary trade partner of Tanzania in the GCC region. Between 2007 and 2012, trade between UAE and Tanzania increased by more than 350 per cent to US$761 million.

    “Africa has one of the world’s fastest growing regional economies, and the launch of this new route also enhances access and the two-way flow of trade and tourism between the continent and key destinations across our global network, supports inbound tourism, encourages investment, and provides much needed local employment,” he added.

    Tanzania has the sixth largest population in Africa (51 million), with over four million people living in the largest city, Dar es Salaam. The large proportion of the community consist of market traders and proprietors of small businesses whose families originated from the Middle East and Indian Subcontinent—areas of the world with which the settlements of the Tanzanian coast have had long-standing trading relations.

    The country is also developing quickly, and currently has around US$19 billion in transport and utilities infrastructure projects being planned. China is playing a key role in financing these major projects, and is fast becoming the East African country’s leading trade partner, with trade between the two countries growing to $3.7 billion in 2013.

    In 2013, Tanzania was also named one of the world’s most sought after destinations for leisure travellers, and is blessed with numerous national and international tourist attractions including Mt. Kilimanjaro, the wildlife-rich national parks of the Serengeti, and the spice island of Zanzibar.

    Tanzania has the second largest economy in East Africa, and Dar es Salaam provides a strategic gateway for the transportation of goods and commerce to the surrounding six land-locked countries of Zambia, Malawi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi.