Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has appointed Mr Hareb Al Muhairy to the position of vice president, corporate communications.

Etihad Airways is on a roll, having won “World’s Leading Airline” at the World Travel Awards 2009 Grand Final, capping a year in which it has continued to expand its network at a relentless pace. BTN met its chief executive, James Hogan, to find out more about the man behind the world’s leading airline, and what he has planned for 2010.

Emirates Airline has emerged as a possible bargaining chip in Dubai’s attempt to stabilise its debt mountain. French bank Societe Generale has indicated that Dubai might have to offer Emirates as “collateral” in order to ensure a bailout from neighbour Abu Dhabi.

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, will offer passengers one of the world’s most comprehensive in-flight entertainment systems when it launches its new Panasonic eX2 system next month.

In an effort to build on an already successful area of operation Etihad Airways is to increase its Abu Dhabi-Frankfurt services from 10 to 13 per week from December, increasing to a double daily from March 2010.

Etihad, Virgin Atlantic, Visa, India Tourism, TUI Travel and Silversea Cruises were amongst companies who triumphed during the World Travel Awards Grand Final that was staged at Grosvenor House, a JW Marriott Hotel in London’s Mayfair last night.