Etihad Airways Launches New Loyalty Concept Offering Immediate Rewards

Etihad Airways, the National Airline of the United Arab Emirates, has today launched its Etihad Guest program, a unique proposition that revolutionizes airline loyalty initiatives and echoes the airline’s personalized and customer-focused approach to travel.

The initiative is being rolled out throughout Etihad’s global network of 35 passenger destinations simultaneously.

At the core of the program’s creation is the absence of uncompromising restrictions traditionally associated with existing frequent flyer programs, replaced instead with a flexible range of features and services designed to cater to public demand 

Geert W. Boven, Acting CEO of Etihad Airways commented, “With our hospitality-orientated approach Etihad Airways is certain to raise a few eyebrows amongst its peers, many of whose frequent flyer-related schemes remained relatively unchallenged by the industry until now.  However, having carried out research of the issues surrounding frequent flyer programs, we know that the travelling public are increasingly seeking out incentives and benefits that indicate a genuine respect for their custom while rewarding them.” 

Essentially, the key features that the program will offer its Guests are:

1)   Flexible travel, with anytime, any flight availability: 

Recognizing that travellers’ biggest criticism of frequent flyer programs is that accrued miles are not always easily redeemable for the flights they’d want, Etihad’s new blueprint for loyalty has eradicated the concept of blackout periods and flight redemption restrictions.  Every flight has an allocation of GuestSeats throughout each of the three Zones which offer the best value for miles and can be booked for a fixed mileage rate.  However, unlike other airlines, Etihad has introduced the concept of OpenSeats to ensure that Guests are still able to choose when they would prefer to travel and redeem their miles on the flight of their choice.  While the mileage required is determined according to the fare level travelled in, as long as there are seats available Guests have the option to redeem their miles whenever it is most convenient to them.

2)   Choice of “payment”, whether purely miles or a cash contribution: 

Unlike most airlines, Etihad recognizes that flexibility is the ultimate mark of respect to its loyal Guests.  As such, it is one of the few airlines to offer all its members the possibility of using a combination of miles and cash when redeeming rewards with its Miles+Cash  feature.  Using the online slider tool, Guests enter a combination of miles and cash values into the relevant MyMiles or MyCash fields.  By moving the innovative slider bar they are then able to calculate which proportion of the two will work best for them at the time of redemption.
 

3)   Immediate redemption potential, as of the first mile accrued: 

Mindful that frequent flyers are rarely able to enjoy instant gratification on their “points”, Etihad’s wide range of established partners have been carefully chosen to insure that Guests are able to treat themselves from the moment they accrue mileage.  Whether opting to take advantage of the great range of rewards on offer or topping up the outstanding mileage balance with the flexible cash payment option, Guests are given a warm welcome and actively encouraged to treat themselves to their well deserved rewards from the moment they start accruing their air miles.  Indeed, the 1MileRedemption concept ensures that members can exchange as little as one mile when taking advantage of the Miles+Cash option.

4)   Range of rewards, with a network of non-flight partners to choose from: 

Etihad has quite literally gone that extra mile by partnering with a network of airline, car rental, financial, retail and leisure partners and in doing so aims to offer Guests greater mile earning as well as spending opportunities alongside an attractive range of discounts.  The Reward Shop is just a click away with the full range of reward categories – including flights, Etihad Holidays, entertainment, electronics, lifestyle experiences, auctions, raffles and charity donations – all available on http://www.etihadguest.com.

5)   Added value, with miles that are worth more: 

The initiative focuses on delivering greater value to its Guests – both in terms of dynamic miles value and added value elements, such as flexibility and choice.  The result of this is that an Etihad mile is worth more than any miles offered through competitors’ equivalent programs, especially when combined with the uniquely personalized Miles+Cash option.  Added to this, with three tiers to qualify for – Etihad Guest, Etihad Guest Silver and Etihad Guest Gold – members are entitled to extra benefits the more miles they earn, ranging from priority check-in, lounge access and up to up to 33 lbs excess baggage allowance to complimentary Limousine service and fast track immigration. 

6)   Earning miles on reward flights through cash contributions: 

An extra advantage of the program is that Etihad Airways is the only airline to offer members the chance to earn miles on their reward flights.  Essentially, Guests are able to make their miles work even harder for them by enjoying a flight reward redeemed through a combination of Miles+Cash and accruing extra reward miles through the cash element.  As such, a Guest travelling on a flight which has been financed half with cash and half with miles will receive miles worth 50 per cent of the total flight.  This insures that members can enjoy the best value proposition possible.

“Etihad remains committed to changing the way our Guests see the world,” stated Peter Baumgartner, Head of Marketing at Etihad Airways. “With our ever-expanding network of global destinations, we will continue striving to set new industry standards which enhance the traveller’s overall experience.”

Membership is free and mile accrual is immediate, with individuals from every country aged two years old and upwards eligible to join. For more information or to enrol online visit: http://www.etihadguest.com.

Membership forms are also available on board all Etihad flights, reservation offices, lounges (Abu Dhabi and London) and check-in desks.  Alternatively, Guests can request an enrolment form by calling the Etihad Guest Service Center and mailing the completed form to the address provided.

Etihad Airways will launch a daily round-trip flight between Abu Dhabi and New York’s JFK airport, Terminal Four, starting October 26, 2006.  From Abu Dhabi, Etihad flies to such markets as Karachi, Islamabad, Delhi, Mumbai, Kuwait, Doha, Riyadh, Beirut, Dhaka, Colombo and Kuala Lumpur (a total of 35 markets to date).

 About Etihad Airways

Etihad Airways, the National Airline of the United Arab Emirates, is the world’s leading new airline and currently offers flights for Guests and cargo to more than 40 destinations in the Middle East, Europe, North America, Africa and Asia.

Etihad Crystal Cargo – http://www.crystalcargo.ae – offers a comprehensive range of cargo services throughout Etihad’s network, and services its many all-cargo destinations and world-wide charters with a fleet of modern regional freighter aircraft.

Etihad Holidays – http://www.etihadholidays.com - offers a range of innovative holiday options in 82 destinations including skiing, fly-drives, cruises, tours, stopovers, inbound programs and city breaks.

Through these exciting divisions, Etihad Airways is changing the way people see the world.

For more information about this award-winning aviation group, please visit http://www.etihadairways.com

|