Etihad Airways has secured an eco-friendly accolade in the form of Environmental Airline of the Year 2023 for the second year running. The award comes from the Airline Ratings Awards, which recognises exemplary performance and innovation in the aviation industry.
Double recognition for Etihad Airways
The Airline Ratings Awards recognise the finest in the aviation sector. The awards evaluate airlines based on their innovation, the breadth and diversity of their route networks, and adherence to rigorous safety standards.
This year, Etihad Airways secured the coveted Environmental Airline of the Year title and ranked third in the ‘Top 10 Airlines’ award.
Also, this achievement required an evaluation of the airline’s performance in terms of comfort and innovation.
It also checked for value for money and safety in all classes of service – Economy, Business, and First Class.
Sustainability: a core strategy for Etihad Airways
In May 2023, Etihad released its latest sustainability report, disclosing a substantial 26% reduction in CO2 emissions per Revenue Tonne Kilometre (RTK).
This accomplishment has been underpinned by Etihad’s flagship sustainability initiatives, namely the Greenliner programme, which utilises their fleet of Boeing 787 Dreamliners as active test-beds, and the Sustainable50 A350-1000 project.
Statement from Etihad CEO
Antonoaldo Neves, Group Chief Executive Officer of the Etihad Aviation Group, praised the achievement.
“Reducing our CO2 RTK by 26% is a testament to the dedication and commitment of our team. We are proud of our achievements which extend beyond delivering direct CO2 reductions by exploring innovative solutions to address broader challenges related to aviation sustainability.”
Antonoaldo Neves, Group Chief Executive Officer of the Etihad Aviation
Conscious Choices
Last year, Etihad introduced Conscious Choices. It is now possible to earn Etihad Guest Tier Miles and badges for making environmentally friendly choices, whether by travelling lighter, offsetting emissions, or buying sustainable products from the Etihad Rewards Shop.
Eco-friendly dining in Economy
At the Arabian Travel Market, Etihad showcased the near closed loop economy dining service, which has removed all single-use plastics.
Eco-friendly accolade in 2023
The achievements of Etihad in 2023 in terms of sustainability include the following:
- 26% reduction in CO2 emissions per Revenue Tonne Kilometre (RTK)
- Addition of 5 A350 aircraft to the Etihad fleet
- Plantation of 68,916 Mangrove trees as part of the Etihad Mangroves Forest project
- Over 29,000 plastic bottles were recycled by employees in collaboration with DGrade
- More than 770,000 litres of water saved through waterless bus washing
- Over 3,700 tonnes of CO2 offset by guests
- Operation of over 40 ecoFlights in 2022
- More than 4.9 million carbon-neutral air kilometres flown by guests
- Introduction of a new circular economy dining service
- Expansion of the brand’s green loyalty offering with Corporate Conscious Choices
- Continued development of the Sustainable Aviation Fuel roadmap
- Operation of the first Etihad NetZero* flight powered entirely by Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Book & Claim.