The national airline of the United Arab Emirates, Etihad Airways has announced that it will be opening a premium lounge at Manchester Airport’s Terminal 1 building later this year. This will represent the 3rd Etihad lounge to open outside of Etihad’s home base in Abu Dhabi.
Etihad’s new lounge at Manchester Airport is part of a gradual roll out of lounges across Etihad’s network and will reflect Etihad’s award-winning style, service concept and high quality look and feel already seen in its lounges in Abu Dhabi, London and Frankfurt.
Etihad Airways Chief Commercial Officer Peter Baumgartner, said:
“Manchester has always been an important part of Etihad’s growth plans, and the ties between Manchester and Abu Dhabi have never been stronger. We recently announced a capacity increase of close to 60% on the route from June, and we continue to look for partnership opportunities that deliver real benefits to both regions. The choice of Manchester as the next venue for a dedicated Etihad lounge is yet another example of our long-term commitment to this important route.”
The 318 square metre lounge will offer Etihad’s premium customers a range of features, including:
- five-star dining facilities with a selection of international cuisine
- a modern business centre providing individual workstations and privacy for people with laptops
- a prayer room
- a family room, where children can be kept entertained by nannies
- a relaxation area, including high-comfort leather chairs and reading material
- luxurious bathrooms and shower facilities for customers to freshen up before their departure
- expansive views over the airport’s taxiway and runway
Andrew Cornish, Manchester Airport’s Managing Director said,
“The Etihad service to Abu Dhabi is a crucial link between our two closely-linked regions and the addition of a premium lounge demonstrates real confidence in this vital relationship. A premium lounge is a key enhancement for Etihad at Manchester Airport, particularly with the additional capacity provided by the Boeing 777-300 aircraft which will operate the service from June. Etihad’s loyal and growing customer base will be as delighted as we are at today’s news and we look forward to developing this successful service together.”
Etihad has been operating services to Manchester Airport since 2006 and offers connections from Manchester to Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow with its codeshare partner, bmi and from Manchester to Isle of Man, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Southampton and Inverness with its codeshare partner, Flybe.
In 2009, Etihad airline’s signed a 3-year deal to be the official shirt sponsor and partner of English Premier League side, Manchester City.