ABU DHABI, UAE – Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, is celebrating its 20th anniversary this month and has announced a series of guest experience enhancements to celebrate the milestone.
Etihad’s new inflight culinary menu rolled out on board its fleet this month with dishes inspired by the airline’s home, the UAE, as well as customised menus reflecting the destinations Etihad flies to. Popular, signature dishes such as the Arabic Mezze starter are complemented by a wide range of new main courses like braised beef short ribs, slow-roasted duck and pistachio crusted salmon followed by treats like vanilla bean panna cotta or trio chocolate cake.
Guests in Economy will be served the new menu on Etihad’s sustainable tableware, designed with a closed-loop recycling system to eliminate waste.
In Business class the ‘Dine Anytime’ cuisine is served on tableware designed in partnership with legendary designer brand Armani/Casa which the airline rolled out this year to further elevate the experience for its guests.
Adding a touch of nostalgia to the celebrations, Etihad has unveiled a suite of limited-edition amenity kits for guests to enjoy on board during the anniversary period.
In First and Business class, Etihad’s retro amenity range is inspired by the iconic Etihad Airways 2003 aircraft livery. The pearlescent finish of the bag features distinctive red and gold lines that are reminiscent of the airline’s original aircraft fuselage design.
The amenity bags include travel-size beauty products made by renowned skincare label ESPA with this being the first time the brand has collaborated with an airline. The range includes ESPA’s hand cream, spa facial mist and lip treatment and is accompanied by a themed eyeshade, socks and a toothbrush kit. The Residence and First class kits also contain a Rest and Recovery Balm and Pulse Point oil.
Guests flying in Economy on medium and long-haul flights will also receive a limited-edition, complimentary amenity tote bag. The bag comes in two collectable designs; a retro themed bag featuring a thin gold and red stripe in the spirit of Etihad’s original livery; and a 20th anniversary edition featuring the airline’s special anniversary design motif, titled ‘Icons of Abu Dhabi’.
The handy shopping style bag neatly folds into its own pocket and contains a blanket for guests to use while on board as well as a gift of Beekman hand cream, themed eye shade, ear plugs and a toothbrush kit.
“This is a time of celebration for Etihad and we’re proud to share our goodwill with our guests. While it’s our history that has inspired our range of retro amenity kits, we’re looking to the future as we add enhancements to continue to make the guest experience even better, rooted in our renowned Emirati identity,” said Turky Al Hammadi, Head of Product and Hospitality, Etihad.
To coincide with the anniversary, Etihad has also re-launched its inflight magazine, Atlas. The magazine is packed full of travel and leisure information to whet the appetites of readers and inspire the next holiday booking.
This November the airline also launched a special supplement to the magazine, featuring a timeline of the airline’s key milestones as well as stories about the people who’ve played a role in the airline’s past 20 years. The 20th anniversary coincides with Etihad’s move to its new home, Terminal A, which it will transition to between the 9 and 14 November. Earlier this week, Etihad unveiled stunning new lounges at Terminal A which span three floors of dining and relaxation space as well as the signature ‘Constellation Bar’ and Liwan Global Dining restaurant.
