Etihad Airways wins prestigious award for innovation

Etihad Airways has won the prestigious ‘Innovation in Travel Award' at the Travel Weekly Globe Travel Awards in the United Kingdom. The awards ceremony was held last night at The Grosvenor House Hotel on London's Park Lane. 

The Innovation in Travel Award is presented to a company which has launched an innovation or development that has had a clear impact in the market. The award, which was judged by a panel of industry experts, was presented to Etihad Airways for The Residence – the world's only private three-room cabin on a commercial aircraft. 

The revolutionary cabin is the result of a seven-year research and development programme at the airline's Innovation Centre in Abu Dhabi, led by the Etihad Design Consortium. 

Available on the airline's Airbus A380 fleet, The Residence measures 125 square feet and features a living room, separate en-suite shower room, double bedroom and a dedicated Savoy-trained Butler. 

Shane O'Hare, Etihad Airways' Senior Vice President Marketing, said, "We are delighted to have been recognised by the Globe Travel Awards panel of experts, who have voted The Residence as the best innovation in travel. This revolutionary cabin has changed the landscape of premium airline travel, providing levels of luxury found only on the most advanced private jets. 

"Etihad Airways values its strong partnership with the UK market, a relationship that started when we launched our first flights to and from London Heathrow in 2004. We have elevated the travel experience by configuring our flagship aircraft with genuine living spaces, providing supreme levels of privacy and comfort." 

Etihad Airways offers The Residence on A380 flights to London, New York and Sydney and will introduce the aircraft on the Mumbai and Melbourne routes this year. 

The dedicated Etihad Lifestyle Concierge team, which works closely with the airline's Butlers in-flight, delivers a highly personalised experience to guests staying in The Residence, offering a range of services including dining reservations, entertainment bookings, special events, destination information and lifestyle services. On the ground, a VIP Concierge team assists guests with all check-in and security formalities. 

Etihad Airways currently operates six daily services into the UK, with direct routes to London Heathrow, Manchester and Edinburgh, which launched on 8th June last year. London Heathrow was chosen as the first destination for the airline's ground-breaking Airbus A380 fleet, which was introduced into service at the end of 2014.