Etihad on the up

AMBITIOUS new Middle Eastern carrier Etihad Airways has unveiled plans to double Heathrow frequencies by the end of the summer season.

The carrier currently operates five services a week to its Abu Dhabi hub, but head of worldwide sales Kevin Steele said it was in the process of securing slots to increase the number to 10.

The former British Airways revenue manager said: “London is a key route for us, it’s one of our flagship destinations and will probably be one of the most profitable. We have challenging expansion plans but we’re looking at more slots and machinery because London is key to helping establish our hub.”

Etihad, funded by the United Arab Emirates government, currently operates six routes but plans to increase this to 16 by the end of the year. It also plans to increase its fleet of three wide-body Airbus A340s and two Airbus A330 to more than 50 aircraft by the end of the decade.

Despite the massive expansion plans, Steele denies it is seeking to take business from Gulf Air and Emirates.

“There is enough new business to fund our growth rather than take business from rivals. The UAE is the UK’s 18th largest trading partner and hasn’t truly exploited its full leisure potential, so there’s a lot of growth left ,” said Steele.

Steele claimed the carrier differentiates itself from rivals by its on-board service. Instead of operating classes, Etihad’s aircraft are divided into ‘guest zones’ – Diamond, Pearl and Coral.