Etihad's new agent with a mission

Malaysia – Etihad Airways new country manager Adam Phillips is on a mission to bring a “world leading product into Kuala Lumpur”, days into his new appointment.

Etihad flew into the Malaysian capital in January 2007 and has since quickly established itself as one of Etihad’s most popular business and leisure travel destinations.

“The market is competitive, there are good players here too but we will have to concentrate on what we do and most of all, delivering success and be the best that I can,” Phillips said, after a media familiarisation trip aboard Etihad’s A340-600, recently.

Backed by 10-years of aviation experience and arriving from his previous position as Etihad Airways’ head of alliances in Abu Dhabi, Phillips is determined to maintain and improve his predecessor Lindsay White’s legacy.

White took charge of Etihad Airlines’ in Australia as its country manager.

On Etihad’s efforts to gain popularity for the Malaysian network, Phillips said the airline is positive about reaching its global six million passenger target this year.

“We are on target to carry up to six million passengers and this is up by 4.6 million passengers last year,” Phillips says, adding that Etihad has already been actively pushing marketing activities including participating in the Malaysian Travel and Tours Association Fair.

The most recent development with the United Arab Emirates’ airlines is its 10th codesharing agreement, this time with Malaysia Airlines.

The new codeshare flights expands Etihad’s network with EY code on Malaysia Airlines’ flights of between Kuala Lumpur and Malaysia’s popular islands of Penang, Langkawi, Kuching and Kota Kinabalu.

While Malaysia Airlines’ MH code will be placed on Etihad’s services between its base of Abu Dhabi and the Gulf region’s Bahrain, Doha and Muscat.

The codeshare flights enables closer co-operation between the two airlines on a range of other joint initiatives, including frequent flyer programmes collaboration, customer support, ground handling, cargo and airport lounge access.

Etihad also has codeshare with among others, Jet Airways, Saudi Arabia Airlines, Sri Lankan Airlines and Philippine Airlines.

Etihad Airways serve 48 destinations in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, the Middle East and North America.

Among the new routes in 2008 are Beijing in China, India's Chennai and Khozhikode and Minsk which is Belarus' capital and by year end, Etihad expects to fly the runways in Almaty and Moscow as well.