Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, is pleased to announce that it will donate 180,000 Dhs to the Red Crescent Society. In a recent on-board duty free magazine promotion, the airline offered passengers the prize of a BMW. In response to strong demand from Etihad guests, the airline has instead decided to donate the cash equivalent of the BMW to support Tsunami victims in South Asia.
“These are just the first steps in a series of what Etihad plans to be longer term charity and community support initiatives. We have received many suggestions from our guests to further help those hurt by the Tsunami and we are making this contribution on behalf of our guests“, said H.E. Dr. Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saif Al Nahyan, Chairman of Civil Aviation Department in Abu Dhabi and Chairman of Etihad Airways.
He continued, “We take our guests’ feedback very seriously and believe in co-creation in every aspect of our business and we are delighted to be able to follow their suggestions.”
Etihad has already placed substantial cargo and passenger capacity at the disposal of relief organizations and especially the Red Crescent Society, transferring humanitarian aid and staff to affected areas in South Asia.
Etihad Airways, although a new arrival, already flies to 17 destinations in the Middle East, Europe and Asia. The growing network now serves Amman, Bahrain, Bangkok, Beirut, Cairo, Colombo, Damascus, Dammam, Geneva, Frankfurt, Karachi, London (Heathrow), London (Gatwick), Mumbai, Munich, New Delhi and Riyadh.
In addition to Etihad’s rapidly expanding international routes, the airline has also created Etihad Holidays in record time. Launched in May 2004, Etihad Holidays offers an array of over 170 hotels in more than 35 exciting holiday destinations in 14 countries – from vibrant bustling cities and picturesque, romantic beach resorts to cultural breaks and world renowned hotels.
Etihad’s focus is on doing things differently – reinventing the way an airline works, with the emphasis very much on creating new standards in hospitality. Etihad refers to passengers as ‘guests’ and has three ‘guest zones’ – Diamond, Pearl and Coral - rather than classes. Each zone provides a premium service, with quality and undivided attention emphasized.
