Etihad Airways Named Air Transport World’s ‘Airline of the Year 2016’

Center, left, ATW Editor-in-Chief Karen Walker with Etihad president and CEO James Hogan (center-right) at the Etihad announcement reception. Photo: Etihad Airways – Source: ATW

Etihad Airways, the Abu Dhabi-based national airline of the United Arab Emirates, last week was named Airline of the Year 2016 by the prestigious US-based aviation industry publication Air Transport World (ATW).

The 2016 Airline of the Year award was announced during a reception hosted in New York on December 3 by Etihad Airways and its president and CEO, James Hogan. The award will be presented as the top honor at the 42nd annual ATW Airline Industry Achievement Awards, to be held at a gala dinner on the eve of the Singapore Air Show on February 15, 2016.

Etihad Airways was chosen for the top honour by ATW’s editorial board in a highly contested competition, with entries from more than 100 airlines around the world.

The award recognises Etihad Airways’ clear vision; its successful organic growth supplemented by a unique partnership strategy; its commercial focus which has delivered net profits in each of the last four years; the rapid growth of its highly motivated workforceits development of innovative products and services, including The Residence by Etihad and the airline’s strong executive leadership.

ATW’s “Airline Industry Achievement Awards” were created in 1974 to recognise excellence across a broad range of airline operations and are widely considered as the most coveted in the aviation industry.

To win ATW’s Airline of the Year award, an airline must demonstrate exceptional achievements and capabilities across operations, financial performance, customer service, safety and labor relations. Its executive leadership must also clearly show innovation and strategic thinking that sets the company apart.

Previous recent recipients of the ATW Airline of the Year award include Southwest Airlines (2015); Delta Air Lines (2014); ANA (2013); Air New Zealand (2012); and Emirates (2011).