Etihad Airways Facts and figures

Etihad Airways
Facts and figures
Issue four
November 2008
1
Etihad Airways
Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, made its
first flight on 5 November 2003. Since then it has added 48 destinations, to
become the fastest-growing airline in the history of commercial aviation.
It offers its award-winning services to destinations in the Middle East, Africa,
Asia, Australia, Europe and North America, from its base in Abu Dhabi.
It carried more than 4.6 million passengers in 2007, up from only 340,000
in its first full year of operations in 2004. In the first nine months of 2008 it
carried 4.4 million passengers - 35 per cent more than the same period in
2007. By the end of the year, Etihad expects to carry more than six million
passengers.
Etihad operates one of youngest and most environmentally-efficient aircraft
fleets in the world, which is set to grow to 42 by the end of 2008 and
52 by the end of 2011. It began life with the largest start-up fleet order,
announced in 2004, for 29 Airbus and Boeing widebody aircraft with a
total value of US $8 billion.
His Highness Dr Sheikh Ahmed bin Saif Al Nahyan, a qualified pilot, is
chairman of Etihad Airways. James Hogan, the CEO, joined the airline in
October 2006.
Etihad announced in July 2008 a record-breaking order for up to 205
new aircraft at the Farnborough International Airshow. The order, which
included firm orders for 55 Airbus and 45 Boeing aircraft, is one of the
largest in commercial aviation history and will allow Etihad to meet longterm demand.
Etihad Airways has set its sights on flying 25 million passengers a year to at
least 100 destinations by 2020.
2
Contents
Toronto
Manchester
Minsk
Dublin
Brussels
Frankfurt
London (Heathrow)
Paris
Munich
Geneva
Milan
Cairo
Almaty
Our business
4
Our fleet
6
Our network
8
Focus on:
Minsk, Melbourne
9
Beijing
Peshawar
Lahore
Islamabad
Delhi
Kathmandu
Dhaka
Mumbai Kolkata
Bangkok
Manila
Chennai
Thiruvananthapuram
Kuala Lumpur
Singapore
Karachi Jaipur
ABU DHABI
Khartoum
2
Moscow
New York
Casablanca
Our nation
Kozhikode
Kochi
Lagos
Jakarta
Johannesburg
Current destinations
Future destinations
Tehran
Damascus
Beirut
Kuwait
Amman
Dammam
Doha
Bahrain
Muscat
Riyadh
Jeddah
Brisbane
ABU DHABI
Melbourne
Sydney
Our service
10
Focus on:
Etihad Crystal Cargo
Etihad Holidays
11
Our people
12
Our nation
Abu Dhabi is the largest Emirate in the UAE and also the nation’s capital city. Ideally located as an effective
air bridge between East and West, Abu Dhabi is fast becoming a dynamic business and tourist destination,
combining its strong heritage and culture with exciting future development plans.
Planning for the future
Abu Dhabi is one of the fastest-growing business and tourism destinations in the world. The government and people of Abu
Dhabi are working together to ensure the Emirate’s development is managed in a considered and sustainable manner.
Plan Abu Dhabi 2030
Abu Dhabi today
Abu Dhabi is home today to around 1.4 million people. It is
estimated that this will rise to between three and five million people
by 2030, as the city becomes an even more important regional hub
for business and tourism.
To ensure careful, planned development of the city, His Highness
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi
and Chairman of the Executive Council, mandated the Executive
Affairs Authority to design and implement a significant urban
planning initiative.
The result was Plan Abu Dhabi 2030, a detailed set of guidelines for
development, according to the cultural and environmental identity of
Abu Dhabi and its inhabitants.
The plan allows for careful expansion of tourism, heritage, residential
and commercial districts, as well as the creation of a new major
business district, home to federal institutions, higher education
facilities and medical centres.
Plan Abu Dhabi 2030 aims to create “a contemporary expression of
an Arab city” by combining three key elements of sustainability – the
natural environment, economic development and cultural heritage.
New airport
Abu Dhabi airport is currently the second largest in the UAE, serving
6.9 million passengers in 2007, up 30 per cent on the year before.
Situated 26km (16 miles) from Abu Dhabi city centre, on a 3,500
hectare site, the airport has one 4.1 km CAT II runway, with a second
4.1km CAT III B runway opening in October 2008.
Work is currently underway on a new terminal at the airport, to open
later this year. Once completed, the airport’s three terminals will have
an approximate capacity of 12 million passengers per annum. It is
expected that passenger numbers will reach this level in 2011.
Development work has also started on a major new passenger terminal,
to be situated between the two runways and known currently as the
Midfield terminal.
Upon completion in 2012, the Midfield terminal will take the airport’s
passenger capacity to more than 20 million per year.
4
Abu Dhabi Midfield terminal set to open in 2012
Global tourism destination
Abu Dhabi, the home base for Etihad Airways, was named in 2007
as one of the world’s top 10 destinations by the UK’s largest online
travel agent, expedia.co.uk, and won the World Travel Award for
‘best new tourism destination’ in the same year.
During 2007, Abu Dhabi received some 1.45 million hotel guests
and the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) has recently raised
its hotel guest projections for the coming five years. The upgrade,
revealed in ADTA’s five-year plan for 2008-2012, puts projected
annual hotel guests at 2.7 million by the end of 2012 – a rise of
12.5 per cent over initial projections made in 2004.
These visitor numbers will be driven by Abu Dhabi’s growing role
as a regional centre for business, as well as its many new visitor
attractions under development. These include the Yas Marina
Formula One race track, the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, the Louvre
Abu Dhabi and the eco-friendly Saadiyat Beach Golf Course,
designed by golfing legend Gary Player as the Arabian Gulf’s only
‘ocean’ course with several beachfront holes.
These new developments will require a boost in hotel rooms in
Abu Dhabi. ADTA predicts 25,000 rooms will be needed by 2012,
up 13,000 from today’s figure.
Abu Dhabi in the news
Abu Dhabi hit the front and the back pages this summer,
with a range of exciting investment deals.
Most column inches went to Abu Dhabi United Group
for Development and Investment, which acquired
Manchester City Football Club. The news that the
English Premier League team, which finished ninth
last year, also managed to sign the star Brazilian striker
Robinho for a UK record-breaking fee of £32.5 million
(Dh 206 million) shortly after the takeover added to the
media frenzy.
The Chrysler Building, the iconic art-deco skyscraper
that defines New York’s skyline, also became an
investment for Abu Dhabi, as the Abu Dhabi Investment
Council took a stake in the building.
And early in September, the Emirate announced plans
to invest US $1 billion (Dh 3.67 billion) in movie
production, backing up to eight films a year during the
next five years.
The deals follow investments by Abu Dhabi companies
in Ferrari, GE, Carlyle and Citigroup and represent the
continuing development of the Emirate’s economic
diversification programme.
The Louvre Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi facts
Guggenheim Abu Dhabi
Population
1.4 million
Currency
Dirham (Dh)
Land
67,340 sq km
GDP
Dh 367 billion (US $100 billion)
Investment
US $200bn (Dh 735bn) will be invested in Abu
Dhabi during the next 10 years
Airport
Abu Dhabi airport
Airport capacity
6.2 million passengers per year
5
Our business
During its first four years, Etihad has grown faster than any other airline in commercial aviation history. Etihad Airways
has a commercial mandate to break even by 2010. The current high cost of oil inevitably puts pressure on that corporate
target but with a strong focus on containing costs within its control, the airline is determined to achieve the objective.
Etihad unveils ambitious targets for the future
Etihad Airways has its sights set on carrying 25 million
passengers a year by 2020 while serving at least 100
cities.
Etihad’s chief executive, James Hogan, announced the
ambitious new growth targets at the Wings Club in
New York.
According to projections, the airline’s workforce
could also grow to 27,000 people by 2020, from
6,600 currently, with most of the jobs based in Abu
Dhabi.
Mr Hogan said: “Etihad is already a substantial
business and we have signalled our intentions for
the future by making recently one of the largest ever
commercial aircraft orders. Our projections to 2020
reflect that order and the scale of our ambitions,
closely aligned to the growth of Abu Dhabi as an
economic and tourism powerhouse.”
Meanwhile, figures have been released showing
that Etihad continues to break records in 2008 with
its latest passenger figures for the first nine months
showing a 35 per cent rise on the same period last
year.
Etihad is set to exceed its target of six million
passengers by the end of an impressive year,
which will also see its global network grow to 50
destinations and its fleet expand from 39 to 42
aircraft.
Between January 1 and September 30 2008, Etihad
carried 4.4 million passengers across its network of
current 48 destinations, compared to 3.3 million for
the same period in 2007.
Seat factors in the same period averaged 75 per
cent, representing a year-on-year increase of seven
percentage points.
6
James Hogan, added: “Despite current market conditions
and against an industry backdrop that remains extremely
challenging, the performance of our airline during the first nine
months of 2008 was impressive.
“The significant investment we have put into our product and
service this year is paying rich dividends and we remain well
on track to achieve our target of carrying six million passengers
by the end of the year.”
The nine month performance was boosted by a record-breaking
summer period, with more than 1.6 million passengers flying
onboard the airline’s flights during the three months of June,
July and August.
A record 20,721 passengers flew with Etihad on Friday 1
August making it the airline’s busiest day in its five year history.
Etihad expects its first Boeing 787 in 2015
800
700
600
Hedging, in which airlines buy future oil needs at set prices,
helps stabilise cost budgets and removes much of the exposure to
sharp price fluctuations.
500
Etihad has had an active fuel hedging policy since December
2006. Despite being the national carrier of one of the world’s
largest oil-producing nations, the airline feels the full force of
price rises and has therefore hedged aggressively.
200
Etihad currently has 82 per cent of its fuel needs for this year
hedged, 41 per cent for 2009 and currently about 12 per cent for
2010.
James Rigney, executive vice president finance, said: “We pay full
market price for fuel and like all airlines, we’ve seen fuel become
our major cost. Our hedging policy came in at the right time
and although we’ve faced a tough few months, in line with the
industry, our hedging has definitely helped.”
Weekly departures
With oil prices continuing to be volatile, Etihad Airways
continues to hedge its fuel purchases.
Number of flights
900
832
674
424
400
300
181
128
100
2005
2004
2006
2007
2008
Passenger growth
6m
6.0m
Number of passengers
Etihad continues hedging policy
5.0m
4.5m
4.0m
3.5m
3.0m
2.5m
4.6m
2.8m
2.0m
1.5m
1m
1.0m
0.5m
Etihad hits the top ten
The airline also came fifth in the Best Business Class category
– up five places from 2007.
2006
2007
2008
Seat factors
85
80
75
70
65
60
55
50
45
Per cent
James Hogan, chief executive of Etihad Airways, said: “This
is a fantastic endorsement of the hard work of our staff and
underlines how well Etihad has established itself in the airline
industry in such a short period of time. No airline has grown
so quickly and I’m pleased to be able to say we’ve grown not
just in size but in quality.”
2005
2004
Etihad carried more than 4.6 million passengers in 2007. In the first
nine months of 2008, the airline has carried 4.4 million passengers
and remains on track to carry six million by the end of the year.
Etihad Airways has achieved an incredible endorsement in
only its fifth year of operation, being named one of the top
ten airlines in the world’s largest independent survey of air
travellers.
The accolade came in the annual Skytrax Best Airline awards,
which survey the views of more than 15 million travellers
around the world.
340,000
0
Jan
Feb
2005 March
April
2006 May
June
July
2007 Aug
Sept
2008
The airline achieved average seat factors of 69 per cent across its
network in 2007. In first nine months of 2008 the average has been
75 per cent.
7
Our fleet
Etihad Airways placed one of the largest aircraft orders in commercial aviation history in July 2008 at the
Farnborough International Airshow in the UK.
The total deal for up to 205 wide-body and narrow-body
planes was worth approximately US $43 billion, at list prices. It
comprised 100 firm orders, 55 options and 50 purchase rights.
Etihad Airways’ chairman His Highness Dr Sheikh Ahmed bin
Saif Al Nahyan and chief executive James Hogan announced the
orders on the first day of the air show, signing separate contracts
with Boeing and Airbus.
The agreement with Airbus comprises firm orders for 55 aircraft:
United Arab Emirates a fleet of 152 aircraft.
James Hogan said at the air show: “This is a momentous day
for Etihad Airways and Abu Dhabi and represents one of the
largest aircraft orders in commercial aviation history. It reflects
the strength and pace of economic growth in the Emirate and the
integral role Etihad will play in Abu Dhabi’s future.
“That future will see planned investments in infrastructure and
projects within the Emirate likely to exceed US $200 billion
•20 A320 aircraft. The engine type is subject to further discussions
•25 A350 aircraft, powered by Rolls Royce Trent XWB engines
•10 A380 aircraft. The engine type is subject to further discussions
There are also options for five A320s, 10 A350s and five A380s
together with purchase rights for a further 15 A320s, 15 A350s
and five A380s.
The agreement with Boeing comprises firm orders for 45 aircraft:
• 35 B787 aircraft. The engine type is subject to further discussions
• 10 B777- 300 ER aircraft, powered by GE90 engines
There are also options for 25 B787s and 10 B777- 300 ERs and
purchase rights for a further 10 B787s and five B777s.
The new aircraft are scheduled for delivery between 2011 and
2020 and when delivered will give the national airline of the
Airbus A320
•
•
•
•
•
Twin engine, narrow body aircraft
Entered service in 1988
Seating capacity 140 passengers
Range up to 5,700km depending on model
Low introductory cost, Etihad currently has eight A320
aircraft
• Proven operational and financial performance
Airbus A350 Xtra Wide Body (XWB) family
• New generation twin engine, wide bodied aircraft
• Three basic passenger models: A350 XWB-800,-900,-1000
• First model enters service in 2013
• Seating capacity 270 - 350 passengers three classes, 312 – 412
in two classes depending on model
• Range up to 15,370km depending on model
• Composite materials are lighter and therefore more fuel efficient
• 20 per cent lower fuel burn and lower operating costs than
comparable aircraft
8
Airbus A380
•
•
•
•
•
•
New generation four engine, wide bodied aircraft
Entered service in 2008
Seating capacity more than 500 passengers
Seating capacity 312 – 412 in two classes
Range up to 15,200km
Largest commercial passenger aircraft in the world
during the next 10 years, an aggressive tourism push and enormous residential development. We are extremely proud to play a leading
role in realising these exciting plans in the years ahead.
“The size of our order also mirrors the rising prominence of the Middle East and its increasing emergence as a new focal point of global
aviation and a natural air bridge between East and West offering the fastest air links for travellers and freight forwarders.”
A key selection criterion in the deal has been the environmental performance of the aircraft. The new generation aircraft will help
maintain Etihad’s fleet as one of the youngest and greenest in the sky.
B787 Dreamliner family
B777-300 ER (extended range)
• New generation twin engine, wide bodied aircraft
• Three basic passenger models: B787-3, B787-8, B787-9. A
future derivative, the 787-10 is also planned
• First model enters service in 2009
• Seating capacity 210 - 290 passengers in three classes,
250 - 330 in two classes depending on model
• Range up to 15,750km depending on model
• Composite materials are lighter and therefore more fuel
efficient
• The largest twin-engine aircraft in the world
• Seating capacity: currently operating with the 378
passengers (two-class) configuration
• Range 14,685km
• Low introductory cost. Etihad already has five B777- 300 ER
• Proven technology and operating cost performance
• Popular with passengers due to open layout
Etihad’s current fleet
Etihad operates one of the youngest and most environmentally efficient fleets in the world. The average age of its aircraft stands
at three years. The fleet - a mixture of narrow and wide bodied aircraft - currently comprises 39 aircraft (36 passenger and three
freighters). This will grow to 42 by the end of 2008, and 52 by the end of 2011, based on scheduled deliveries from existing orders
made prior to the Farnborough air show.
Aircraft
Airbus A319/A320
(October 2008)
Arrivals
(by end of 2008)
8
2
Airbus A330
14
0
Airbus A340 (300/500/600)
9
1
Boeing B777
5
0
Freighter
3
0
39
3
Total
60
50
40
30
Number of aircraft
Growth of fleet
Current fleet
42
37
21
20
10
6
10
0
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
9
Our network
Etihad has launched and announced more new destinations in 2008 and will pass an important milestone
as it reaches 50 destinations served by the end of the year.
Toronto
Manchester
Minsk
Dublin
Brussels
Frankfurt
London (Heathrow)
Paris
Munich
Geneva
Milan
Moscow
Almaty
Beijing
New York
Casablanca
Peshawar
Lahore
Islamabad
Delhi
Kathmandu
Karachi Jaipur
Dhaka
ABU DHABI
Mumbai Kolkata
Bangkok
Manila
Chennai
Kozhikode
Kochi Thiruvananthapuram
Kuala Lumpur
Singapore
Cairo
Khartoum
Lagos
Jakarta
Tehran
Damascus
Beirut
Kuwait
Amman
Dammam
Doha
Bahrain
Muscat
Riyadh
Johannesburg
Current destinations
Future destinations
Jeddah
Brisbane
ABU DHABI
Melbourne
Sydney
Growing network
Abu Dhabi • Almaty • Amman • Bahrain • Bangkok • Beijing • Beirut • Brisbane • Brussels • Cairo • Casablanca • Chennai • Damascus
Dammam • Dhaka • Doha • Dublin • Frankfurt • Geneva • Islamabad • Jakarta • Jeddah • Johannesburg • Karachi • Kathmandu
Khartoum • Kochi • Kozhikode • Kuala Lumpur • Kuwait • Lagos • Lahore • London • Manchester • Manila • Melbourne • Milan • Minsk • Moscow
Mumbai • Munich • Muscat • New Delhi • New York • Paris • Peshawar • Riyadh • Singapore • Sydney • Tehran • Thiruvananthapuram • Toronto
Etihad to pass half-century of destinations
Moscow
Etihad started flights to Beijing in March 2008 and in August it began
flying to Kozhikode (Calicut) and Chennai (Madras) in India, after
securing flying rights earlier in the year.
Etihad also became the first airline in the Gulf to fly to Belarus, when it
launched non-stop services to the capital city Minsk on 5 August 2008.
Growth of destinations
50
40
30
In July, Etihad announced plans to launch non-stop daily services from
Abu Dhabi to Melbourne, Australia from March 2009. And in August,
it announced it is to fly to Lagos in Nigeria.
With the addition of these new routes, Etihad will serve 52
destinations, passing an impressive half century in its rapid growth.
10
20
Number of destinations
The airline has also announced plans to fly to Moscow and the Kazakh
city of Almaty in December 2008. Etihad will also boost its flying
programme to Australia at the end of October 2008, and increase
its existing daily service to Sydney to 11 flights per week. The same
month will also see Etihad add a third daily flight to London Heathrow.
50
44
37
17
21
10
0
4
end of
2003
end of
2004
end of
2005
end of
2006
end of
2007
end of
2008
Focus on...
Minsk, Belarus
Melbourne, Australia
Etihad became the first airline from the Gulf region to fly to Belarus in
August 2008 and now operates twice weekly flights to the country’s
capital, Minsk.
In July 2008, Etihad announced that it will launch non-stop daily
services from its Abu Dhabi home-base to Melbourne, Australia from
March 2009.
Minsk, Belarus
Melbourne, Australia
City population
1,830,700
City population
3,806,000
Currency
Belarusian ruble (BYB/BYR)
Currency
Australian Dollar (AUD)
Land
305.47 sq km
Land
8,806 sq km
GDP
USD 82.94 billion
GDP
USD 175.4 billion
Tourist attractions
Tourist attractions
Minsk was heavily bombed during World War II but architecture is still one
of the capital’s biggest draws. Take a stroll down Prospect Nezavisimosti, also
known as Independence Avenue, and wonder at the impressive buildings
which have earned the avenue UNESCO consideration.
The charming, red-roofed old town is home to small institutions such as
a museum dedicated to Belarusian literature, craft shops and restaurants
serving local delicacies. An altogether more modern monument is the striking
diamond-shaped Belarusian National Library containing some 140,000
tonnes of reading material, museums with illuminated scripts, astrolabes
and a café. The National Arts Museum of the Republic Belarus is the largest
museum in Belarus and not surprisingly contains the largest collection of
Belarusian art in the world. Two rooms are devoted to works depicting
Belarus as it was in the 1920s and 1930s. There are more than 25,600
exhibits, which includes impressive works by Arkhip Kuindji, Nikolai Ghe,
Ilya Repin, Isaak Levitan and Konstantin Makovsky.
Out of town: The 16th century Mir Castle complex, 100 kilometres to the south
of Minsk, is a UNESCO World Heritage listed site because of its interesting mix
of Gothic, Baroque and Renaissance architectural styles.
Melbourne is the self-styled cultural capital of Australia with a Writers
Festival in August and an International Arts Festival, which is held for two
weeks every October. There are a wealth of galleries, theatres and other arts
and music venues to satisfy the most avid culture vulture.
Pleasing on the eye, with a mix of elegant Victorian-era streets and modern
skyscrapers, Melbourne is buzzing with trendy bars and fine restaurants. Take
a walk along the four-kilometre Golden Mile Heritage Trail to find out more
about the city’s architectural legacy and its past as a gold-rush boom town.
The Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park, Melbourne has been the first
race of the F1 Championship, (excluding 2006), since the event moved
to Melbourne in 1996. The exciting 16-turn circuit, which measures 5.3
kilometres, is renowned as being a high-speed test for Formula One teams
and drivers. It was at the Australian Grand Prix in 2008 that Etihad launched
its three-year sponsorship deal with the Ferrari F1 team.
Out of town lie the renowned vineyards of the scenic Yarra Valley, to the
northeast, which is Victoria’s answer to the Barossa Valley in the south, and
one of the many fertile, wine-producing areas around Melbourne.
Business attractions
Business attractions
Minsk is the Belarusian capital and the country’s major industrial centre with
more than 250 factories and manufacturing plants.
of commerce, industry and cultural activity.
Number of Etihad flights from
Abu Dhabi
Two per week
Number of Etihad flights from
Abu Dhabi
Seven flights per week (from
March 2009)
Airport name
Minsk International Airport
Airport name
Melbourne Airport
Melbourne is the capital of the Australian state of Victoria and a major centre
11
Our service
Etihad has created a new cabin crew position to provide a top quality restaurant experience for premium
customers travelling in first and business class.
New food and beverage managers on long-haul routes
Etihad’s new food and beverage managers have been introduced onto
more of the airline’s long-haul routes during the last three months,
with them now in place on routes from Abu Dhabi to London,
Toronto, Sydney, Paris, Frankfurt, Dublin, Geneva, Brussels and New
York. This completes the roll-out of the new position on all of Etihad’s
three-class configured aircraft.
Key duties performed by the food and beverage manager include:
The role is a new cabin crew position which has been created to
provide a special on-board service for premium customers travelling
in first and business class on all long-haul services.
•close interaction with the airline’s catering and product teams to
provide passenger and crew feedback on menus and suggestions for
further improvements
•briefing crew during pre-flight briefings on the menus for the flight
•discussing service timings with the galley crew once dining orders are
taken
•oversight, planning and control of all aspects of the dining experience
in-flight
The purpose is to provide expertise and guidance to customers on all
food and wine menu matters. Similar to restaurant managers, they
manage the timely provision of the meal service and champion high
quality preparation and presentation of meals. Additionally they are
equipped to recommend restaurants in the destination city.
Many food and beverage managers have been recruited from
outside the airline. To qualify for the role they must have experience
working in front-of-house positions in five star hotels or top–quality
restaurants, and have formal catering qualifications. There will be a
total of almost 170 food and beverage managers by the end of 2008.
Jennifer Childs has been working as one of Etihad’s onboard food and beverage managers since May
2007.
Prior to joining Etihad, Canadian-born Jennifer worked at an up-market restaurant near the famous Opera
House in Sydney. A few weeks after she started work, in March 2007, Etihad held a party for travel agents at
the restaurant to celebrate the launch of its first services to Sydney. Inspired by the evening, Jennifer decided
she wanted to work for Etihad. Weeks later she flew to Melbourne to attend an Etihad recruitment fair which
eventually resulted in a job offer, based in Abu Dhabi.
“I’ve always wanted to work for an airline – an obvious choice, I suppose, for
someone who loves traveling, the hospitality industry and meeting people. After
being selected, I went through extensive training so that I can champion the quality,
presentation and delivery of food and drinks on board our aircraft.
“It is my job to ensure that the hospitality we offer is consistently to the highest
standards. We are effectively Etihad’s food and drink experts in the air.”
12
Focus on...
Etihad Crystal Cargo
Etihad named “cargo operator of the year”
Etihad Crystal Cargo capped a strong performance in the first half of
the year by being named the “cargo operator of the year” at the UAE’s
Supply Chain and Transport awards in June.
Hosted by magazine publisher, ITP Business, the awards recognise the
Middle East logistics industry’s achievements during the past year.
“We are extremely proud, therefore, to have been presented with
the award for “cargo operator of the year” and we wish to thank
our customers for their support and our staff for their hard work and
dedication as we look to build on this in the year ahead.”
70
60
The award came after a period in which Etihad Crystal Cargo was
given the privileged role of shipping more than 180 Pablo Picasso
masterpieces from Paris to Abu Dhabi ahead of the opening of the world
renowned artist’s exhibition in the UAE’s capital city.
The priceless collection was flown over in several shipments from the
Musée National Picasso in the French capital and was exhibited in the
Emirates Palace hotel in Abu Dhabi.
Etihad Holidays...
Shipments growth
50
Shipments (ooo)
Des Vertannes, Etihad Airways’ executive vice president cargo, said:
“Etihad Crystal Cargo has achieved tremendous growth during the past
year with a 35 per cent increase in the tonnage carried as well as adding
new freighter routes to Lagos, Colombo and Karachi.
60,158
50,350
40
30
20
2007
2008
Opening of latest Etihad Holidays shop in
Marina Mall, Abu Dhabi
unveils regional expansion plans
Etihad Holidays has unveiled ambitious plans to expand its
franchise of interactive holiday shops, with 12 new outlets to
open during the next two years.
The announcement follows the successful launch of three
holiday shops in Al Wahda Mall, Khalidiyah Mall and
Marina Mall in Abu Dhabi in 2008, which helped Etihad
Holidays increase its revenue by more than 120 per cent
over the first nine months of 2007.
The new holiday shops provide customers with a complete
travel sales experience, offering holidays to key Etihad
destinations as well as the full range of Etihad Airways
products and services.
There will also be considerable expansion of Etihad
Holidays’ operations across the UAE with new shops
scheduled in the new mall in Dubai’s Marina due to open
late 2008.
Tony Gauci, head of Etihad Holidays, said: “Etihad Holidays
is enjoying a phenomenally successful 2008 and this growth is set
to continue as we expand the holiday shops across the region and
continue our drive to become the leading premium holiday operator in
the Middle East.”
13
Our people
Etihad continues to develop its Emiratisation scheme which by the end of 2008 will boast more than 100
participants across the cadet pilot, management trainee and technical engineering programmes.
Latest Emirati cadets begin training
Etihad Airways successful Emiratisation programme took
another step forward during the summer, with the fourth class of
Emirati students starting their cadet pilot training, on the way to
becoming fully-qualified pilots.
The class, consisting of 11 men and one woman, started their 18
month training at the Horizon International Flight Academy in Al
Ain where they learn to fly on Cessna 172SP single-engine, highwing aircraft and Diamond DA40 aircraft.
Etihad currently has 44 Emirati cadet pilots, with the first class of
seven cadets on schedule to qualify for their airline transport pilot
licences (ATPL) in December 2008.
A fifth class of Emirati cadet pilots is due to join the programme
shortly and a further two classes will start in November 2008
bringing the total number of Emirati cadet pilots to 80.
Etihad has also launched its first international class with 12 cadet
pilots who began training in July with another class following in
November 2008. Cadets in both classes have been hand-picked
from across the world.
To complete the Etihad pilot programme, and become a first
officer co-pilot on the airline’s Airbus A320 fleet of jets, each
cadet has to undertake 905 hours in the classroom and 205 hours
flying experience in single and multi-engine aircraft as well as
Etihad’s flight simulators in Abu Dhabi.
Nationalities
The international make-up of Etihad’s staff represents 116
nations. No other airline in the world has such a fast developing,
multi-cultural workforce.
Middle
Eastern
823
African
806
Asian
1,674
European
7,000
6,000
Caribbean 27
6,628
5,524
4,000
3,468
3,000
2,000
1,318
14
Growth of staff
5,000
Far Eastern
1,446
American 236
In addition to the cadet pilot programme, Etihad Airways’
Emiratisation initiatives focus on two other streams which include
the technical engineering development programme and graduate
management development programme.
Number of staff
Etihad Airways’ fourth class of Emirati cadet pilots
2,116
1,761
1,000
Australasian 298
0
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
New crew village planned for
Abu Dhabi
Etihad Airways has announced plans to establish a cabin crew
village in Abu Dhabi, to meet the housing needs of its growing
workforce.
The airline, which has more than 6,600 employees already,
expects significant growth in its workforce during the next few
years. And with Abu Dhabi facing a squeeze on available
housing as it experiences its own growth, the airline is acting
now to meet the demand.
Etihad opens new cabin crew health
and leisure club
Etihad Airways continues to boost the social activities and
facilities available to its growing number of cabin crew
following the opening of its “Fit2Fly” cabin crew club in
Abu Dhabi city centre.
The new club offers an array of state-of-the-art exercise
and relaxation areas for any member of Etihad cabin
crew including the 600 flight attendants who live in
the building. Facilities include two fully equipped
The crew village will be built in phases, with stage one complete
in 2010. It will house between 5,000 and 6,000 cabin crew
when it is fully completed.
gymnasiums, large outdoor swimming pool, squash courts,
The village, which will be in the Al Raha area, will have a
swimming pool, pharmacy, mini-supermarket, coffee shops,
internet cafes, hair salons, a spa and other recreational areas.
lounges equipped with wifi and internet access as well as
a multipurpose all weather pitch for football, cricket and
tennis and a branch of the Sharanis Spa. Fit2Fly also has
plasma TVs.
Etihad forges local links with Zayed University
Etihad Airways has signed a three-year deal with Zayed University in Abu Dhabi to develop the talent of Emiratis looking for
employment in the travel industry. The airline has pledged to offer internships, sponsorship opportunities and summer work for
graduates and undergraduates of the University.
A memorandum of understanding was signed in September by James Hogan, Etihad Airways’ chief executive and Dr Sulaiman Al
Jassim, vice president of Zayed University at a ceremony held on the University’s Abu Dhabi campus.
Working with the media
As one of the fastest-growing airlines in the history of the industry, Etihad Airways is subject to keen media interest in each
market in which it operates.
The airline’s corporate communications team continues to seek ways to improve the information it provides to journalists
and during the summer it launched the Etihad Media Centre (www.etihadmediacentre.com), an online information resource
for the world’s media.
In English and in Arabic, the Media Centre contains all press releases and factsheets about the airline, as well as executive
biographies and an extensive image library.
Members of the media can register simply and easily for the site and can then access more than 500 documents and
images.
The site also contains contact details for all members of the corporate communications team in Abu Dhabi.
15
eti h a d a i r way s . c o m
16