17 Sep 2014 12:30
Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has been named ‘Airline of the Year - First Class’ at the 13th Annual China Travel & Meeting Industry Awards 2014.
The prestigious honour was announced during a gala ceremony in Beijing last night, attended by
more than 200 senior executives from the Chinese travel, meeting and incentive industry,
in recognition of the services provided to Etihad Airways’ First Class
passengers.
The airline currently
serves the cities of Beijing, Chengdu and Shanghai in China, and will extend
its local footprint with the launch of a new Hong Kong service in June 2015.
The award has completed a
global hat trick of accolades for Etihad Airways this week, with the airline
also named ‘Aviation and Transport Company of the Year’ at the Gulf Business
Industry Awards in Dubai, and Travel Trade Gazette’s ‘Airline of The Year’ in
the UK.
James Hogan, President
and Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Airways, said: “China is one of the
fastest growing travel markets in the world, and one of the most competitive.
However, by offering a best-in-class travel experience that caters to the
specific needs of our guests, Etihad Airways has established itself as an
airline of choice for those flying into and out of the country.
“We have placed
world-class hospitality standards at every touch point in the journey, which
are benchmarked against the world’s leading hotels and restaurants. The fact
that Etihad Airways has won three prestigious awards in three different parts
of the world this week, including this latest one in China, is testament to the
success and mass appeal of our unique approach.”
The China Travel & Meeting Industry Awards are jointly
organised by TravelWeekly Magazine and Events China. The ‘Airline of the Year -
First Class’ award follows a string of accolades for Etihad Airways in China
this year, including ‘Business Class of the Year’ at the Best Travel Media
Awards, and ‘Best First Class Cabin’ at the Travel Awards.