Etihad Airways celebrates seven years of flying to the Philippines

Abu Dhabi: James Hogan, President and Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Airways, is leading a delegation of senior executives to Manila this week to celebrate the airline's 10th anniversary and its seventh year of service to the Philippines. Hogan will meet with local business leaders, members of the diplomatic community and industry partners. He will also host a cocktail event at The Peninsula Manila for more than 250 VIP guests including the United Arab Emirates' Ambassador to the Philippines, Moosa Abdulwahid Alkhajah. He said the anniversary celebrations in Manila reflected the growth of Etihad Airways' business in the Philippines and its importance to the airline. He identified the strengthening Philippines economy - with GDP growth at 7.6 per cent in the first half of this year - as one of the key drivers of this growth. "In addition to stimulating overseas business and leisure travel, the health of the Philippines economy is underpinning the growth we are seeing in our freight division - Etihad Cargo. Total trade between the UAE and the Philippines reached USD2.16 billion last year, creating significant opportunities for belly-hold cargo transportation. Hogan's visit to Manila coincided with a charitable programme by a team of staff volunteers. "As our business has grown in the Philippines, so has our support for the local community. Over the past week, for example, volunteers have donated blankets and clothes to Filipinos who lost their homes and livelihoods in the recent typhoon. Etihad Airways' twice daily flights between Manila and Abu Dhabi connect seamlessly to the airline's global flight network. One-stop connections at the airline's Abu Dhabi hub are available to many popular business and leisure destinations in the Middle East, Europe, Africa and the Americas. – Emirates News Agency, WAM