25 Apr 2016 06:30
Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, was named ‘Best First Class’ and ‘Best Frequent Flyer’ programme at the Business Traveller Awards Middle East, which were held at the Palazzo Versace in Dubai last night.
The
awards are now in their fifth year and are a celebration of the region’s top
travel and hospitality sectors. There were over 350
guests in attendance with chef Marco Pierre White welcomed as the guest of
honour.
The award is another major accolade
for the UAE national airline’s First Class experience, which has repeatedly
been voted best in the world, particularly since the airline introduced
ground-breaking First Class cabins on its fleet of Airbus A380s and Boeing
787-9 aircraft at the end of 2014.
Haitham Al Subaihi,
Vice President of UAE Sales at Etihad Airways, said: “We are delighted to have
been recognised with these prestigious awards which again demonstrate that our
guests acknowledge the investments we are making in our premium product
offering.
“It is also pleasing to see that the steps we are taking to grow Etihad Guest
by expanding the range of partnerships for millions of members have proven so
popular and secured the ‘Frequent Flyer’ award. Over the coming year, we will
continue to expand the scheme adding further partners and continuing to focus
on providing a valuable and rewarding experience.”
The judges recognized the significant
investment that has been made in Etihad Airways’ A380 First Class cabin, which
boasts nine First Apartments. The First Apartments are unique living spaces of
39 square feet in size, with a separate ottoman that converts into a
full-length 80.5 inch long bed. A dedicated shower room is also available for
exclusive use by First Class guests. Additional A380 services are being added
to Melbourne and Mumbai this year and a total of ten A380’s will service the
Etihad Airways route network by the end of 2017.
Onboard Chefs in First Class, many of whom hail from fine
dining establishments around the world including some Michelin Star
restaurants, prepare made to order dishes on request or create a bespoke dining
experience tailored to the individual’s palate.
Etihad’s Boeing 787s are also equipped
with eight private First Suites in a unique curved aisle setting. A private
First Class suite product is also available in the three-class configured
long-haul fleet of Boeing 777s, Airbus A330 and A340 aircraft.
The airline will continue to invest in
its First Class product during the year ahead, and in May will open a new First Class Lounge at Abu Dhabi
International Airport’s Terminal 3. The lounge will be for the exclusive
use of First Class guests, Etihad Guest Platinum and Etihad Airways Partners
Platinum guests, and those staying in The Residence, onboard the A380 fleet.
The airline was also
successful in the ‘Best Frequent Flyer’
category at the awards ceremony, with the
award coming at a time of tremendous growth for the programme which passed four
million members this week. Over the last year it has added key partners to the programme such as Porsche, Abu Dhabi
Islamic Bank and Trip Advisor.
Etihad
Guest is the award-winning multi-airline loyalty programme from Etihad Airways
and includes Air Serbia, Air Seychelles and Etihad Regional. It was launched in
August 2006 and offers members the opportunity to accumulate Etihad Guest Miles
on flights with more than 40 airline partners including airberlin, Virgin
Australia, Alitalia and Jet Airways, as well as a number of local and global
partners, ranging from hotel accommodation and car rental to retail and
financial products.