Etihad wins major award in USA

The magazine's "Best in Business Travel Awards" are based upon a comprehensive survey of readers and their views of airlines, hotels, cruise lines, car rental firms and destinations.

Peter Baumgartner, Etihad Airways' Executive Vice President Marketing and Product, said:

"The last 12 months has seen Etihad Airways invest substantially in its business class product and service, both in the air and on the ground, and we offer our business class customers a premium experience when they fly."

Baumgartner added, "Etihad Airways has progressively introduced throughout 2008 a new in-flight service style, seeking to provide our premium customers with service individually tailored to their needs."

"Drawing inspiration from quality hospitality environments across the world - such as five star hotels and international restaurants - as well as reflecting Etihad's Arabic heritage, our in-flight service is personal and focused on the individual," he concluded.

Etihad Airways' business class offers passengers an award-winning fully flatbed seat which is self-contained in an individual privacy cocoon with special mood lighting designed to relieve the symptoms of jet-lag.

Passengers can take advantage of an in-seat massager and more than 500 hours of on-demand entertainment provided via individual 15 inch screens, operated by touch-screen technology.

Passengers can eat 'on demand', anytime, from a la carte fine dining menus or opt for kitchen style snacks.

Etihad has also introduced a new cabin crew position called the onboard food and beverage manager. These new managers, most of whom joined the airline from the hospitality sector, are responsible for championing the quality, presentation and delivery of food and beverages on board, ensuring it is consistently to the highest standards.

Etihad Airways carried out a major refurbishment of its business class lounge at its Abu Dhabi airport base in 2008. Key features include a dedicated 'wi-fi' area, library, relaxation zone, well-being spa, hi-tech electronic games room and an art gallery showcasing work by local Arab artists.

The airline has plans to introduce new dedicated lounges in a number of key overseas destinations during 2009.

Etihad's business class customers also have access to a complementary limousine service, taking them to and from Abu Dhabi airport.

The luxury service is also available to business class customers in several of Etihad's key global destinations, including London Heathrow, Brussels, Frankfurt, Geneva, Manchester, Munich, New York, Paris, Sydney and Toronto.

The Business Traveler (USA) accolade is the latest in a series of top awards that Etihad has received in 2008, including "world's leading first class airline" at the World Travel Awards; 'airline of the year' at the British Travel Awards; 'leading airline', 'leading first class' and 'leading travel website' at the Middle East World Travel Awards; 'best cabin staff' and 'best economy class' at the Business Traveller (Middle East) awards; and 'best website' at the Pan Arab Web awards.