Etihad Airways is the National Airline of the United Arab Emirates. The airline was set up by a Royal decree in July 2003, with Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE, as its hub. Etihad started commercial operations in November 2003. Etihad has spread our network to destinations across Europe, Asia, the Middle East and North America, offering a whole new way to fly the world. The airline has now expanded to a family of over 2500 proud employees, spread across countries, all working towards a common objective. Etihad is becoming the natural choice of a growing number of guests who trust us to fly them in comfort. It has also been voted the World’s Leading New Airline two years in a row, in 2004 and 2005. As the National Airline of the United Arab Emirates, we seek to reflect the best of Arabian hospitality — cultured, considerate, warm and generous — as well as enhance the prestige of Abu Dhabi as a centre of hospitality between East and West. Our goal is to be a truly 21st century, global airline, challenging and changing the established conventions of airline hospitality.