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Dave

Etihad Airways launches new scheduled flight between Abu Dhabi and Beijing Daxing Airport

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Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), launched its first scheduled flight between Abu Dhabi and Beijing Daxing Airport on 28 March 2023. This move will be of particular interest to business travellers from the UK who are looking to expand their reach into China’s business market.

The inaugural flight, EY888, was operated using a Boeing 787 Dreamliner and marked the switch of regular flights from Abu Dhabi to Beijing Daxing International Airport (PKX). Previously, Etihad operated to Beijing Capital International Airport.

Arik De, Chief Revenue Officer of Etihad Airways, said,

With China’s reopening and the restart of the aviation and tourism industries, we are very glad to see the long overdue move of our scheduled services to Beijing Daxing International Airport, which will further strengthen our commitment to the country’s aviation market development and Chinese travellers. The integrated transportation facilities at Beijing Daxing International Airport will give Etihad Airways access to a huge catchment area around Beijing West Rail Station. We will be working closely with local partners to transfer Etihad’s rich experience in Europe working with intermodal rail service operators to Daxing to allow greater choice at a competitive fare on a single connecting ticket through air-rail modality.

2023 also marks the 15th anniversary of Etihad Airways’ services in China and its Abu Dhabi-Beijing route. With the continuous consolidation and strengthening of the comprehensive strategic partnership between the UAE and China, political, economic, trade and cultural exchanges between the two countries have become more frequent.

Etihad Airways maintains its support for and commitment to its Chinese partners and the China market, and its contribution to the growing bilateral relationship.

Wang Yaqi, General Manager of Aviation Business at Beijing Daxing International Airport, said,

Abu Dhabi Airports Company signed an MoU to build a sister-airport relationship with Beijing Daxing International Airport in 2019, which strengthened the capital-to-capital link. Etihad Airways is one of the first airlines in the Middle East to move to Beijing Daxing International Airport, and we congratulate them on this successful inaugural flight from Abu Dhabi to Beijing Daxing International Airport.

Beijing Daxing International Airport believes that on the basis of win-win cooperation, both sides will inject new vitality into the recovery of civil aviation in China and even the world, while at the same time, making a greater contribution to the people and business ties between the two countries.

Etihad Airways’ first outbound flight will depart Beijing Daxing on March 30th, allowing UK business travellers choosing Abu Dhabi as their destination or a stopover to explore the emirate’s breathtaking landscapes, a thriving arts and culture scene, top shopping destinations, magnificent attractions and world-class events. Connecting passengers will have access to more than 70 destinations via the Abu Dhabi hub. Additionally, Etihad Airways has recently added popular European destinations such as Düsseldorf, Copenhagen and Lisbon, expanding the airline’s European network while providing UK business travellers with more convenient travel and holiday options.

Etihad’s Boeing 787 aircraft feature innovative, award-winning cabin designs and products, complemented by the airline’s acclaimed service and hospitality offerings. This exciting new development by Etihad Airways is set to benefit UK business travellers seeking to expand their reach into China’s business market while enjoying world-class service and amenities.

Dave

Etihad returns to T4 at Heathrow

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Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, has confirmed it will return to London Heathrow’s Terminal 4 from 22 June.

Etihad’s return to Terminal 4 follows a temporary home at Terminals 2 and 3 during the pandemic.

Transport connections including the London Underground and Heathrow Express will also reopen.

The Etihad Lounge will also re-open for Etihad’s First and Business class guests, as well as Etihad Guest Platinum and Gold members. The lounge has separate areas for relaxing and dining.

Etihad has also confirmed that from July to September 2022 it is increasing its current four daily flights from London Heathrow to five daily flights.

Also from July, Etihad will increase its services into Dublin to offer a daily flight, and continue to operate daily to and from Manchester.

Etihad is asking all passengers to check in online, arrive at the airport early during this time – the Etihad check-in desks at London Heathrow will be open three and a half hours before departure – and also check whether they need to get Verified to Fly at etihad.com/destinationguide.

Dave

Etihad Airways is the first airline in the world with 100% of crew on board vaccinated

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Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has become the first airline in the world with all its operating pilots and cabin crew vaccinated to help curb the spread of Covid-19.

The airline’s vaccination initiative has consolidated Etihad’s position as an industry leader in its response to the pandemic and in keeping its employees and travellers safe.

Tony Douglas, Group Chief Executive Officer, Etihad Aviation Group, said:

We proactively made the vaccine available to all our employees not only to help combat the effects of Covid-19 but to make travellers feel confident and reassured the next time they fly with us. We are the only airline in the world to make Covid-19 testing mandatory for every passenger and crew member before every flight and now, we’re the first airline in the world with 100% vaccinated crew on board.

I chose very early on to be vaccinated to demonstrate my own support of the national vaccination programme and to encourage everyone at Etihad who was eligible for the vaccine, to receive it as soon as possible. I would like to thank the entire Etihad family for everything they have done to help us reach this milestone – I am truly humbled.



Tony Douglas received his first dose of the Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccine at Etihad Airways Medical Centre on 4 January.

The universal vaccination was made possible through Etihad’s ‘Protected Together’ employee vaccination initiative which was formally launched in January. Building on the UAE’s Choose to Vaccinate campaign, Protected Together is about helping staff take proactive, personal steps towards protecting themselves against Covid-19.

In collaboration with the health authorities, the airline facilitated access for its frontline staff to the UAE’s Emergency Use Programme. Etihad was one of the first employers in Abu Dhabi to secure places for their frontline staff – including pilots and cabin crew – in the capital’s vaccination programme.

Dr. Nadia Bastaki, Vice President Medical Services and CSR, Etihad Aviation Group, said:

Following the national vaccination programme, we worked tirelessly to become an approved Covid-19 vaccination clinic to support our staff, and their dependants, be able to easily access the vaccine. Since December, we have been offering in-house vaccination appointments to our employees and their loved ones to ensure we are focused on our employee’s wellbeing.

Following the UAE Government’s target to vaccinate half of the UAE population by the end of March 2021, Etihad is ahead of schedule with over 75% of its entire workforce already having received at least one dose of the vaccine. With even more activity still planned as part of the Protected Together initiative, this figure will continue to grow as more employees step forward and choose to vaccinate.

In an effort to protect residents and citizens of the United Arab Emirates, Etihad thanks the relevant authorities for their support in making the vaccine accessible to achieve nationwide immunity.

Dave

Etihad Airways launches digital Covid-19 risk assessment tool

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Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, is partnering with Austrian-based healthcare technology company Medicus AI to launch a COVID-19 risk-assessment tool that will help passengers make informed decisions about travelling.

The Etihad Covid-19 self-assessment tool is accessible via the airline’s website

The risk-assessment tool will guide Etihad’s passengers in evaluating the probability of having contracted the Covid-19 coronavirus by responding to a set of 22 questions. The self-administered assessment, which takes less than five minutes to complete, is based on World Health Organization guidelines.

With this risk-assessment tool, passengers will understand their individual probability of having contracted the virus alongside advisories and recommendations, allowing them to make informed decisions about travelling.

Frank Meyer, Chief Digital Officer, Etihad Airways, said:

We know that health and wellbeing will be a major factor impacting the travel decisions of our guests and are committed to ensuring their continued safety and peace of mind when they choose to travel with Etihad Airways. As flying operations begin to resume globally, we want to empower our guests to make informed decisions on travel. Partnering with Medicus AI on this innovative new tool is just one of the ways we are adapting our operations and guest experience to meet the new demands placed on the travel industry as a result of Covid-19.

Dr. Baher Al Hakim, Chief Executive Officer, Medicus AI, said:

We are proud to support Etihad Airways in their efforts to ensure the safety of its passengers and crew as the world returns to normality. Our initial efforts at the start of the pandemic were to help provide assessment and monitoring tools, and as needs shift, our efforts have evolved to help our partners bring people back to their day-to-day life in a safe manner.

The tool is now available to guests on Etihad.com and is accessible in English, with additional language editions such as Arabic, French, German and Portuguese being added in phases.

Etihad Airways has been actively sourcing and investing in innovative solutions to enhance the safety and wellbeing of its employees and guests in light of the impact of Covid-19 and has also recently announced trials of Covid-19 triage and contactless technology at Abu Dhabi International Airport.