Is it a bird? Is it a plane? On Etihad Airways's flights, it will now be both as the airline launches family-friendly flying in partnership with Warner Bros World Abu Dhabi.
Etihad's first product launch since the onset of the global pandemic turns the airline's focus on its youngest passengers, with children getting extra special treatment with a little help from Tweety, Bugs Bunny and co.
The national airline of the UAE's Little VIP service will be launched on Tuesday on ultra-long haul flights. Travellers checking in at Abu Dhabi International Airport can expect dedicated family check-in desks, themed in-flight meals and Warner Bros World Abu Dhabi activity packs.
“We understand and appreciate that it’s not always easy travelling with little ones, however this collaboration with Warner Bros World Abu Dhabi is designed to make the travel experience an exciting one for children and an easier one for their parents,” said Terry Daly, executive director guest experience, brand and marketing at Etihad Airways.
“With the help of Scooby-Doo and the Looney Tunes,, we promise that even the tiniest travellers will love every minute of their journey with Etihad Airways."
Family check-in desks at Abu Dhabi International Airport
Family check-in desks at Abu Dhabi International Airport are designed to minimise queuing and have small sets of steps leading up to the desks to ensure little ones have a good view of all that's going on.
Priority boarding will focus on families so that children have time to get settled in their seats and parents can be confident they'll have space to store carry-on luggage before other travellers board flights.
Etihad also has some new amenities to ensure children won’t get bored. The in-flight entertainment system has been fully loaded with Warner Bros shows and films, including Space Jam, Scooby-Doo, Looney Tunes, The Flintstones, Teen Titans and Justice League.
Sustainable Scooby-Doo activity packs
Little ones aged 3 to 8 will receive a yellow drawstring bag filled with a Looney Tunes' passport holder, activity book, stickers, games and crayons.
Children aged 9 to 13 can look forward to a stylish Scooby-Doo backpack containing a passport holder, activity cards and a Museum of Mysteries board game, inspired by the ride at the award-winning theme park on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi.
Fluffy yellow Cartoon Junction blankets are available for infants up to age 2. These environmentally responsible products are made from recycled water bottles and, like all of the new products in the Little VIP range, do not feature single-use plastic.
Themed in-flight meals with reusable child-safe cutlery
When it comes to eating, the chefs at Etihad have overhauled their children's meals to give youngsters more of what they want to eat.
Children will be served first and will receive their food in colourful Warner Bros World Abu Dhabi-themed boxes. The ever-changing menu is packed with family favourites including juice boxes, yoghurt, pizza, macaroni and cheese, sandwiches, pancakes and waffles.
Reusable, colourful cutlery packs are also included with each meal. Passengers are encouraged to take the child-friendly utensils away with them to reuse during their travels.
To ensure all Little VIPs on Etihad flights are well looked after when they fly, Etihad's cabin crew and ground staff are undergoing new training to ensure they can easily identify and support family travel needs.
Following its launch on Etihad's ultra-long-haul flights, the Little VIP campaign will be rolled out across long and medium-haul flights, too.
Etihad paused new product launches during the global pandemic, but the latest campaign is the first of several initiatives that the airline has been working on during this time.
“This year, we will bring product innovation to the forefront, and this is the first of many exciting developments to look forward to,” said Daly.
The top 20 safest low-cost airlines for 2022
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AirlineRatings.com has released its 2022 top 10 of the world's safest low-cost airlines. First on the alphabetical list is Air Arabia, the first budget carrier in the UAE. -
A Thai Air Asia Airbus A320-200 plane at Don Mueang International Airport, Bangkok. Reuters -
Allegiant Air operates in the US and is North America's 14th biggest airline. AFP -
An airBaltic Airbus A220-300 at Munich International Airport -
Incident records, crash records and fleet age were among the factors used to compile the list. UK operator easyJet has 31 planes in a fleet that flies throughout Europe. AFP -
flydubai operates to more than 90 destinations from its Dubai hub. Jeff Topping for The National -
Colorado carrier Frontier Airlines flies to more than 100 US destinations and employs more than 3,000 staff. Getty -
Jetstar Group, launched by Australia's flag carrier Qantas, has operated out of Melbourne since 2017. AFP -
JetBlue, which has its headquarters in New York, is North America's seventh-biggest airline by passengers carried. AFP -
An IndiGo Airlines aircraft in Ahmedabad, India. The low-cost carrier is the country's largest passenger airline. Reuters -
Since its formation in 1984, Irish carrier Ryanair has grown to be one of the giants of low-cost travel, with a fleet of more than 400 and bases at Dublin and London Stansted airports. AFP -
Singapore Airlines' low-cost subsidiary Scoot Airlines ranks in the top 20. Getty Images -
Southwest is the world's largest low-cost airline. AP -
India's SpiceJet flies to 64 destinations, including 52 domestic and 12 international routes. EPA -
Spirit Airlines, one of the largest low-cost carriers in the US. Bloomberg -
Vueling, Spain's largest airline, has hubs in Barcelona and Rome. AFP -
VietJet Air flies to 46 destinations from Hanoi in Vietnam. AFP -
Volaris Airlines is the second largest airline in Mexico after flag carrier Aeromexico and the main operator for domestic flights. AFP -
Canada's WestJet airlines operates more than 700 North American flights a day, carrying more than 66,000 passengers. AFP -
Wizz Air, a Hungarian airline that flies to 44 countries in Europe, Africa and the Middle East, and that has a subsidiary in the UAE, Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, rounded the original top 10 list and is one of the world's safest budget airlines. AFP
