Etihad ! EY ! ETD !

The new product on board the airline’s latest Airbus A340-600 is now operating between Abu Dhabi and London
Heathrow.

The state-of-the-art private suite provides first class customers with an extra-large leather seat, upholstered by world-renowned leather company Poltrona Frau, which extends to a fully-flat bed, 80.5 inches in length.

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Etihad Airways was awarded the Airbus Top Operational Excellence Award for its fleet of A340-500/600 aircraft at the Airbus Technical Symposium in Berlin last week.

Etihad’s A340 fleet was awarded after the airline was found to outperform other airline fleets based on a number of criteria for operational excellence over a two-year period.

The criteria for the award includes revenue flight hours, revenue take-offs, changeable operations and average operational delay time over the period from November 2007 to October 2009.

Etihad Airways Executive Vice President - Technical, Werner Rothenbaecher said:
“We are very proud and honoured to receive this award for Top Operational Excellence of our Airbus A340 fleet.

This award is the result of hard work of our technical team and a very strong joint operation between Etihad Airways and our partners at Abu Dhabi Aircraft Technologies (ADAT) which continues to ensure Etihad’s fleet is at the highest standard of safety, reliability and operability.”

John Grother, Airbus’ Vice President A330/A340 Family Programme commented, “Etihad has forged a strong working relationship with Airbus and has shown a remarkable determination and commitment to ensure that the fleet is maintained at a level to support the airline’s goals of service perfection.

Etihad Technical is indeed a worthy winner of this award, and can justifiably be proud of its contribution in making Etihad the World’s Leading Airline.”

Etihad Airways has 11 Airbus A340-500/600 aircraft, as part of a fleet of 52 Boeing and Airbus aircraft.
In 2008, Etihad placed the largest aircraft order in aviation history at the Farnborough Airshow with 100
firm aircraft orders due for delivery by 2020.

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates and Airbus have celebrated the carriers
status as the launch customer for the world’s newest freighter aircraft, the wide-body A330-200F, at a ceremony at the Farnborough International Airshow.

Following the Paris Le Bourget 2007 order the aircraft will enter service with Etihad’s cargo business, Etihad Crystal Cargo in September this year.

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Etihad Airways, the Abu Dhabi-based national airline of the UAE, will introduce its first ‘all economy’ class aircraft into its fleet in October 2010.

The two Airbus A320s will be configured to carry 162 economy class passengers, an increase of 42 from the current economy capacity.

The all economy cabin aircraft will operate to short haul Etihad destinations, which have high demand for economy traffic and low demand for premium traffic. Initially these will be Alexandria, Calicut, Colombo, Damascus, Doha and Thiruvananthapuram.

Plans are in place to expand the all economy fleet to 10 A320 aircraft which will enable the airline to launch new short haul destinations which have low demand for premium travel and also to existing Etihad destinations.

James Hogan, Etihad Airways’ Chief Executive Officer, said: “Etihad has grown at a remarkable pace during the past six and a half years. We have built a strong brand and a robust business, and it is the right time to challenge the way we serve our various markets and segments.

“Our all economy aircraft will allow us to offer a more competitive product in key point-to-point markets in Asia, the Middle East, North Africa and the Indian Subcontinent, while maintaining the high standards of service we have become known for.”

Customers travelling on the new ‘all economy’ aircraft will receive the same world class service and product that is featured on our current narrow body fleet, such as seat back in-flight entertainment screens and hot and cold meals and beverages. Each seat has a 32 inch pitch.

Etihad currently has 15 A320 aircraft within its fleet and 35 aircraft are on order from Airbus.

Etihad Airways (EY) plans to launch daily Abu Dhabi (AUH)-Washington Dulles (IAD) Airbus A340-500 flights from March 31, 2013, pending regulatory approval.