Etihad opens new cabin crew health and leisure club

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.

The facilities include two fully equipped gymnasiums, large outdoor swimming pool, squash courts, a multipurpose all weather pitch for football, cricket and tennis and a branch of the renowned Sharanis Spa.

In addition to the health and well-being areas, Fit2Fly also has two large lounges equipped with wifi and internet access as well as plasma TVs and swish sofas. There is also a Moka Café which offers breakfast, lunch and dinner for cabin crew.

Maija Eklof, Etihad Airways' vice president in-flight services, said:

"Etihad understands how important it is to take care of staff both at work and in their own time and the new Fit2Fly club will make a big difference for cabin crew who can now work-out, socialise and relax all in a calm and uplifting environment."

One of the highlights of the new club is the Sharanis Spa which offers advanced skin and body therapies, a hair salon and ayurvedic and alternative medicine treatments across a variety of themed rooms and suites.

Each area of the Spa caters for the cabin crew members' requirements even allowing them to enjoy a spa manicure and pedicure whilst watching their favourite programmes on the large plasma TV.

Michelle Johnson, Fit2Fly crew club manager, said: "Since opening the new Fit2Fly crew club it has quickly become a key element in the day-to-day lives of cabin crew living in the Al Jazeera building. Being a member of cabin crew can be very demanding so they certainly relish the chance to unwind and stay healthy in the luxuriously-appointed club."

The new Fit2Fly club is part of Etihad's drive to provide top activities and promotions for its cabin crew. In July the airline made a dream-come-true for cabin crew member Surawadee Satthaphol, from Thailand, who won a brand new Mini Cooper car in a competition designed to boost sales of onboard duty free gifts.

Ms Satthaphol was handed the keys to the brand new car, which is worth more than Dhs115,000, as a reward for achieving the highest onboard duty free sales figures by any member of Etihad cabin crew during the first six months of 2008.