Etihad Airways

Airline Profile

From Abu Dhabi to the world runs the motto of the UAEs national airline, founded in 2003 and currently serving 64 destinations in 42 countries from its base at Abu Dhabi International.

Given Etihads location and its sponsorship, in recent years, of both the Ferrari Grand Prix team and newly moneyed Premiership side Manchester City cash flow is evidently no issue, and indeed the company has weathered the recent financial turbulence better than most. 2009 passenger numbers held steady on its 2008 equivalent, while Etihad picked up the Leading Airline gong at the 2009 World Travel Awards, and the Best First Class prize at the 2010 event. An expansion of services is planned, with the launch of all-economy flights across Asia, the Middle East, North Africa and the Indian subcontinent.

There are few complaints among Etihads business passengers, particularly on long-haul routes, where the company compares favourably to British Airways and Emirates. Ample cabin space, a complementary turn-down service and the dine anytime policy have proven popular if you are a footballer heading to some millionaires playground for a winter break or pre-season friendly, youre unlikely to be disappointed.

Question marks linger back in economy, however, where service would appear greatly more inconsistent: common gripes involve erratic seat allocation, limited legroom, cold, bland food, and poor on-board cleanliness. As one online contributor phrases it, The thing with Etihad is (from the outside) it all looks good& I just didnt see much substance there. The designated customer service hotline, too, leaves a lot to be desired although probably less so if you have the money not to mind hanging on for hours at a time.