Etihad Airways beat more than 100 rivals yesterday to win Air Transport World magazine's airline of the year award for 2016.
“This award recognises what we set out to do as an airline 13 years ago – to be safe, profitable and simply the best,” said James Hogan, the Etihad president and chief executive.
The award from the US-based aviation industry publication was presented at the Singapore Airshow.
Mr Hogan has previously said that legacy carriers such as the Big Three US airlines – American, Delta and United – and Germany’s Lufthansa, were doing their best to stifle new competition.
US airlines have alleged that Arabian Gulf rivals – Etihad, Emirates and Qatar Airways – have been the beneficiaries of more than US$42 billion in government subsidies, going against the open skies policy which promotes free market practices. The Gulf carriers have all denied these claims.
“Many stones were thrown at us, but we responded calmly and with facts, showing that we bring new competition to markets,” said Mr Hogan.
Speaking in Singapore, the Etihad president said that Etihad, together with its Indian subsidiary Jet Airways, has 21 per cent share of outbound flights originating from India.
This month, Jet posted a record quarterly profit for the three months to the end of December, attributing it to low fuel prices and high passenger numbers. The airline reported a net profit of 4.67 billion rupees (Dh252.7 million) compared with 631.1m rupees a year earlier. The results marked a third consecutive profitable quarter.
selgazzar@thenational.ae
Follow The National's Business section on Twitter
While you're here
Hend Al Otaiba: A year ago, Covid-19 forced us apart – now, vaccines can bring us back together
National Editorial: Iata travel pass – 'digital passports' will get the world moving again
Lucy Sherriff: Covid vaccine passports: safeguard or ethical nightmare?
COMPANY%20PROFILE
While you're here
Hussein Ibish: Could it be game over for Donald Trump?
Joyce Karam: Trump's campaign thrown off balance
Trump tests positive: everything we know so far
While you're here
Damien McElroy: It's too early to say who will win the vaccine hurdle race
Mustafa Alrawi: To get the 'jab' done, governments must show patience and empathy
Editorial: The fight against Covid-19 should be guided by science
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Venue: Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Date: Sunday, November 25
Joker: Folie a Deux
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson
Director: Todd Phillips
Rating: 2/5
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
COMPANY PROFILE
Company%20Profile
TECH%20SPECS%3A%20APPLE%20WATCH%20SERIES%208
Company%20Profile
ADCC AFC Women’s Champions League Group A fixtures
October 3: v Wuhan Jiangda Women’s FC
October 6: v Hyundai Steel Red Angels Women’s FC
October 9: v Sabah FA
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
Company%20profile
The biog
From: Ras Al Khaimah
Age: 50
Profession: Electronic engineer, worked with Etisalat for the past 20 years
Hobbies: 'Anything that involves exploration, hunting, fishing, mountaineering, the sea, hiking, scuba diving, and adventure sports'
Favourite quote: 'Life is so simple, enjoy it'
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
Results:
6.30pm: Maiden Dh165,000 2,000m - Winner: Powderhouse, Sam Hitchcott (jockey), Doug Watson (trainer)
7.05pm: Handicap Dh165,000 2,200m - Winner: Heraldic, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
7.40pm: Conditions Dh240,000 1,600m - Winner: Walking Thunder, Connor Beasley, Ahmed bin Harmash
8.15pm: Handicap Dh190,000 2,000m - Winner: Key Bid, Fernando Jara, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
8.50pm: The Garhoud Sprint Listed Dh265,000 1,200m - Winner: Drafted, Sam Hitchcott, Doug Watson
9.25pm: Handicap Dh170,000 1,600m - Winner: Cachao, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
10pm: Handicap Dh190,000 1,400m - Winner: Rodaini, Connor Beasley, Ahmed bin Harmash
Opinions on Lebanon
Kareem Shaheen: Lebanon is being forced to relive its traumas
Michael Young: Hezbollah is losing its ability to intimidate anyone
Raghida Dergham: Lebanon-Israel talks will mark another win for Donald Trump
Bridgerton%20season%20three%20-%20part%20one
more from Janine di Giovanni
Dr Amal Khalid Alias revealed a recent case of a woman with daughters, who specifically wanted a boy.
A semen analysis of the father showed abnormal sperm so the couple required IVF.
Out of 21 eggs collected, six were unused leaving 15 suitable for IVF.
A specific procedure was used, called intracytoplasmic sperm injection where a single sperm cell is inserted into the egg.
On day three of the process, 14 embryos were biopsied for gender selection.
The next day, a pre-implantation genetic report revealed four normal male embryos, three female and seven abnormal samples.
Day five of the treatment saw two male embryos transferred to the patient.
The woman recorded a positive pregnancy test two weeks later.
Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5