As Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, looks forward to welcoming passengers from the UK and Ireland back on its flights from Heathrow, Manchester and Dublin, it has made a number of changes to the traveller experience in order to help consumers feel confident about their travel plans.

ETIHAD WELLNESS

Launched this summer, Etihad Wellness has been designed to give guests greater peace of mind whilst travelling. The comprehensive health and hygiene programme and customer guide introduces a team of Wellness Ambassadors who are available to assist travellers with support, care and advice on how to stay safe during their journey. A first in the industry, Etihad’s Wellness Ambassadors are available 24/7 online via live webchat at Abu Dhabi International Airport and onboard all Etihad flights.

Etihad Wellness also features additional deep-cleaning rotas, initiatives to limit touch points, culinary hygiene measures and social distancing. Etihad has also introduced a Fit to Fly self-service check in and health screening process. At Abu Dhabi Airport, Etihad’s hub, no-touch lift controls and self-cleaning escalator handles have also been added.

STAYING SAFE IN THE SKY

The online Etihad Wellness guide can be found at etihad.com/wellness, highlighting all the precautions being taken throughout the customer journey. This includes information about the changes made to culinary hygiene at the airline’s catering facilities and food testing laboratory, aircraft cabin deep-cleaning, check in, health screening, boarding, inflight experience and product, crew interaction, arrival, and ground transportation.

All of Etihad’s guests will be provided with a Wellness Kit onboard, while those travelling in Business and First Class will also be provided with a snood-style face covering to use onboard and on arrival in their destination. Designed to help passengers protect themselves and others from Covid-19, the covering has been treated with a protective layer to reduce the presence of germs in the fabric.

NETWORK NEWS

Come October, Etihad will have resumed services to more than 60 destinations worldwide from its Abu Dhabi hub (find out more at etihad.com). The airline has also introduced its Etihad Wellness protocols alongside a newly produced interactive map outlining the latest guidelines and regulations for specific destinations. The information provided per country includes current travel bans, entry requirements, social distancing and other virus prevention measures, plus the status of local transportation and tourism businesses such as hotels and restaurants, so it’s a useful reference tool for agents when selling holidays during the pandemic.