Etihad Airways Chief Executive Officer, James Hogan, today delivered the inaugural Australia-Gulf Lecture at the Lowy Institute for International Policy in Sydney.

Etihad Airways – recognised as the World’s Leading Airline by the World Travel Awards - has announced the start of flights to Nairobi, its first destination in East Africa. A daily service from Abu Dhabi to Nairobi will begin on April 1st next year, operated by a two class A320 aircraft with 16 Pearl Business class and 120 Coral Economy seats.

Luxury packages for the Formula One Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi – scheduled for November 13th – are attracting prices of up to $12,000 per person as expectation mounts. According to the latest information from Etihad-owned tour operator Hala Abu Dhabi, packages including stays as the YAS Hotel, which bridges the track, are selling fast.

While perhaps the most global of industries, aviation has failed to create a truly global airline. But with rising fuel costs, falling prices and natural disasters all taking a toll, the crunch for legacy carriers across the globe is fast approaching. Here Breaking Travel News looks at the various strategies open to airlines as they seek to survive.

Etihad Airway’s Peter Baumgartner has sought to dispel a number of lingering rumours around the carrier at the Australia Pacific Aviation Outlook Summit in Sydney. Dismissing claims of government subsidy and even slave labour, the airline’s chief commercial officer went on to outlined a clear agenda for dominance in the region.

Etihad Airways, World’s Leading Airline, recognised last year by World Travel Awards, will double its flights from Abu Dhabi to Erbil at the beginning of September.