Etihad Airways launches Colombo service - London and Bangkok to follow

Etihad Airways has launched its first route outside the Middle East Tuesday, with the commencement of services to Colombo.

Colombo is the fourth destination for the Abu Dhabi-based airline, and the airline will operate three flights a week to the Sri Lankan capital.

This represents the fourth new route for Etihad Airways in a period of rapid growth for the airline, which should see a total of 16 new destinations by the end of 2004. These include London and Bangkok on March 28 and April 5 respectively.

Dr Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saif Al Nahyan, chairman of Etihad, said: “We are launching our newest route at a time of significant buoyancy in the airline sector in the Middle East, which has bucked the global industry downturn.

“Colombo was chosen as a destination because of high demand for service from Abu Dhabi. In addition, analysts are expecting double-digit growth in traffic to Asia this year, with the sub-continent having experienced less of a dip last year than other parts of Asia.”

The first scheduled flight from Abu Dhabi to Colombo, EY201, departed on March 2, leaving at 2150h and arriving at 0430h. The return flight departs Colombo at 0545h and arrives back in Abu Dhabi at 0820h. The service will operate three times a week, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.

Etihad operates two wide-bodied Airbus A330-200 passenger jets, which carry 225 passengers each, and form the backbone of the fleet. In addition, the airline has added one A340-200, and expects to have up to 10 wide-bodied aircraft in the fleet by the end of 2005.

Service delivery

Etihad has launched in a matter of months, but Al Nahyan stresses that the speed of expansion will not hinder the airline’s service promise.

“Etihad is being positioned as ‘the airline of the 21st century’ and we are determined to deliver on what the customer really wants, even if that means higher operating costs and lower profit margins in the short-term.

“We are taking a long-term approach with Etihad and, from the outset, our focus has been on doing things differently – reinventing the way an airline works, with the emphasis very much on customer service and satisfaction.”

“In the past 25 to 30 years since the introduction of business class, there has been very little to differentiate one airline from another, especially in this region. We aim to change that.”

According to Al Nahyan, the airline’s brand values of imagination and a fresh approach to product and service should be incorporated into all aspects of the airline. “Too often, companies fail to live up to their values as time goes on and they become established in the market. We will not let this happen.”

He said: “We are determined to offer a product which not only meets and exceeds their expectations, but also genuinely reflects the type of hospitality for which Abu Dhabi is famous.

“While we like to think that we have created a flying experience that is entirely based on customer preferences, we recognise that there is always scope for improvement as customers become increasingly demanding and demand higher and higher levels of service.

“To this end, we are committed to ongoing market research, as we are aware that there is a general lack of research in the industry in the Middle East.”

Non-traditional class structure

Key to the Etihad promise is the move away from the traditional classes, as it becomes the first regional airline to take the concept of premium economy and rework it for the regional marketplace.

Etihad refers to passengers as guests and has guest zones rather than fare classes. The three zones - Diamond, Pearl, and Coral - does not the airline claims correspond directly to first, business, and economy classes.

The Diamond Zone is luxurious and spacious with a 75-inch seat pitch and offers top-of-the-range service and facilities.

Pearl – with a 49-inch pitch – is effectively a class of its own, and provides superior facilities suited to the business traveller.

Coral Zone has a 32-inch seat pitch and has been designed with the leisure traveller in mind, providing a value-added service. All seats are equipped with personal video screens.

Diamond and Pearl guests will enjoy a limousine service from home to the airport and back as well as at destination point. In cases of the departure from Abu Dhabi, the limousine service covers anywhere in the UAE.

At check-in, guests will be dealt with by a personal attendant and escorted to the departure lounge until the flight is ready to board. Enhanced ground services at Abu Dhabi International Airport will be available later this year.

“Each will provide a premium service compared to competitors, with quality and personal attention being the common factor. For the Diamond and Pearl Zones, we will provide seamless and stress-free travel – in fact, for business travellers, we provide an office in the sky,” explained Al Nahyan.

Catering will be managed by the Abu Dhabi Flight Kitchen, with a panel of top chefs responsible for designing menus that reflect regional tastes and produce. Meals in the Diamond and Pearl zones will be individually ordered, plated, and served but food quality will be consistent across all three zones. There will be no trolley service in either zone.

Uniforms have been designed by top Italian couturier Ettore Bilotta in a style that combines traditional Arabic elements with classic tailoring.