Etihad Airways

Commencing operations in Abu Dhabi in 2003, Etihad is one of the fastest-growing airlines in the history of commercial aviation, employing over 20,000 professionals across its operations. The airline’s fleet has grown from 22 to 108 aircraft, which carried a record 18.6 million passengers in 2017, and includes five additional cargo planes. Etihad’s luxurious fleet is the youngest in the world. With the average age of its aircraft being seven years, it offers passengers the latest technology and the most innovative onboard features.

The airline currently has 188 interline relationships and 54 codeshare partnerships with various international airlines. Codesharing provides the airline with a combined network of 600 destinations and over 25,000 flights per week.

Etihad is constantly re-inventing its customer experience. Its A380 planes, for example, feature the first ever Residences, which are penthouses within the aircraft. It also helped introduce the US pre-clearance option for US-bound passengers at the Abu Dhabi International Airport, expediting their travel and immigration processes.

Etihad is best known around the world for its support of the Manchester City Football Club, whose stadium is named after the airline. The latter has also been instrumental in reinvigorating a major part of the city.

The airline is celebrated worldwide by numerous award-giving bodies, which include the World Travel Awards, Skytrax World Airline Awards and Business Traveller Awards. In 2017, the airline earned the titles of the Middle East’s Leading Airline, the World’s Best First Class Airline and the Cargo Airline of the Year.