Etihad Airways lands Crystal Cabin Award

ETIHAD Airways recently took home the prestigious 2015 Crystal Cabin Award in the "Premium Class & VIP" category. The awards ceremony which is part of the annual Aircraft Interiors Expo, was held in Hamburg, Germany. The airline was presented the award for its "innovative interior design and product" – its Airbus A380 upper deck cabin.
RECOGNISING EXCELLENCE
Known for its constant innovation in the aviation service industry, Etihad Airways is known to go beyond the boundaries in providing a superlative in-flight experience, especially for its frequent flyers.
The award it recently won is the only international accolade that gives recognition to airlines for quality and prestige in aircraft interior innovation. Judged by an international panel of more than 20 academics, engineers, representatives of aircraft manufacturers and airlines, as well as journalists who specialise in aircraft interior design, it was quite expected for the airline to emerge tops.
Etihad Airways chief commercial officer Peter Baumgartner had this to say: "This prestigious accolade is testament to the incredible work carried out by the Etihad Airways team and the members of the Etihad Design Consortium. It has brought to reality our vision of re-defining travel by investing in innovation and attention to detail, allowing us to totally re-imagine flying." The award was gladly accepted by members of the Etihad Design Consortium (EDC) and the airline.
Established in 2008, EDC is a unique group or body that consists of three leading brand and design agencies. Collaborating with leading co-creation and research agency, Promise Communispace, the three agencies that make up EDC are: Acument Design Associates – contracted to design all on-board seating; Factorydesign – chosen to design guests' experience and destination zones; and Honour Branding – tasked to co-ordinate the project interface between EDC and Etihad Airways, as well as formulate the creative strategy for the concept work. Together, the combined skills and expertise that are pooled together deliver the airways' ambition of revolutionising air travel, taking it a step further.
Part of the EDC's objective was to re-think the upper deck design on 10 of Etihad Airways' new Airbus A380 aircraft. These new aircraft currently service the Abu Dhabi and London Heathrow routes. Sydney and New York will soon, get a taste of the exclusive A380 service, from June and December 2015, respectively.
PRIME AND PRESTIGE
Literally taking its airline service up sky high, the new cabins offer unprecedented levels of luxury, providing added space and more privacy in each of its lavishly customised units, made fit for royalty. Other than an extravagant lobby area, the "Upper Deck" of Etihad Airways' A380s has three distinct and sterling passenger experiences to offer, which are:
* The Residence by Etihad – the world's first private three-room cabin on a commercial aircraft, consisting of the living room, bedroom and bathroom;
* First Apartments (First Class) – 74% larger than current first class suites, with separate bed and armchair, in a unique single aisle concept (the first, in a wide-body commercial jet); and
* Business Studios (Business Class) – added luxury, enhanced technology and 20% more personal space.
Staying true to the essence of the Etihad Airways brand of avant-garde design and innovation; a step into the upper deck cabin entrance transforms the conventional boarding experience, akin to entering a boutique hotel. Furthermore, the cabin lighting play up both old and new elements, of traditional geometric patterns and modern mosaic-style elements, as reflected on the ceiling of The Louvre Museum in Abu Dhabi. Specially placed gobo lighting on-board subtly refracts the airline's "Facets of Abu Dhabi" design onto cabin walls and floors.
The new cabins offer unprecedented levels of luxury, space and privacy, underlining pure class and top drawer elegance through and through.