Etihad Airways wins Middle East’s Leading Airline award

Etihad Airways swept the board at the annual World Travel Awards for the Middle East, picking up four gongs including the Middle East’s leading airline prize.

The ceremony, which was held in the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, also saw the airline collect the Middle East’s Leading Airline First Class award, the Middle East’s Leading Airline In-flight Entertainment award and the Middle East’s Leading Cabin Staff award. The airline’s E-BOX, which allows travellers to choose from 600 movies, TV programmes and music and gaming channels helped win the entertainment gong.

The airline, which is based in Abu Dhabi, was voted top by more than 213,000 travel industry professionals from around the globe, who voted on both regional and world-wide airline prowess.

Chief Commercial Officer of Etihad, Peter Baumgartner, said: “It is truly an honour to win Leading Airline for the Middle East. Our home market is extremely important to Etihad, so I am especially pleased to be recognised by our guests and peers from the region in this way.

“We continually aim to deliver exceptional service and superior product and to receive this award demonstrates that the airline industry and our guests believe we are consistent in doing so. I hope this award encourages more and more customers to fly with the best,” he added.

The airline will now be entered into the global World Travel Awards, to be held in London later this year.