Amina Tahar, vice-president of Etihad and the powerful woman in aviation in the Emirates, in an interview with Israel Today: "After the corona restrictions are lifted - tourism between the countries will skyrocket"
This week, Etihad Airlines began operating direct flights to Israel.
A senior team of the company has landed in the country, including Amina Taher, one of the most powerful women in the aviation industry in the UAE.
Taher currently serves as vice president of marketing and branding at Etihad Airlines.
In an interview with "Israel Today", Amina talks about the opening of the company's direct line between Abu Dhabi and Israel, the changes that are expected following the entry of companies from the United Arab Emirates and even welcomes in Hebrew.
"I'm only been in Israel for 26 hours, and I arrived at a warm, welcoming, and especially exciting reception. I'm still trying to absorb it all and return to the UAE with many stories of this experience," Taher opens the interview believing it is the beginning of a rosy future in aviation and tourism. Between the two countries.
She said, "The signing of the Abrahamic Agreements, which established the ties between the two countries, is the foundation of an ongoing and strong bond between Abu Dhabi and Israel. We are committed to developing more and more opportunities for trade and tourism not only between the two countries, but also throughout Israel and beyond. "The Emirates are the countries with the most advanced vaccination campaigns in the world. I definitely believe that tourism between the countries will become more and more popular as soon as government restrictions on the aviation world are eased. As they say in Israel, 'Blessed be God'."
Abu Dhabi opens to Israelis for the first time ever on direct and uninterrupted flights, what awaits us there?
"There is so much to see in Abu Dhabi. Amazing architecture like the Grand Sheikh Zayed Mosque, the Presidential Palace (Qasr al-Watan), and the Louvre Museum designed by renowned architect Jean Noble. Those looking for adventure will find that the theme parks are among the best in the world - with Ferrari Amusement Park - Farrearworld, Warner Brothers Amusement Park, and YAS Water Park are all located on Yas Island, as well as Etihad's Arena Stadium - the newest stadium in the United Arab Emirates, featuring international artists and visitors from around the world in the future. The trip will allow this.
"The Emirates also offers great areas of stunning natural beauty with pristine beaches, parks and deserts with breathtaking landscapes. The city is also a renowned center for world-class sporting events including the Formula 1 Grand Prix."
The aviation industry suffered a very severe blow during the Corona period, how do you deal with the impact of the epidemic spreading around the world, and when do you predict that we will return to wider aviation activity?
"Many in the aviation and tourism industry consider our response to the many challenges posed by the epidemic to the most advanced and industry-leading. Early on, we introduced the 'Etihad Health Plan', which actually set us apart from the competition, illustrating our perception that passenger health and well-being always come first.
"We were the first to place 'health ambassadors', available at every stage of the journey, from the airport to the destination, supporting passengers and answering any questions, and of course trusting compliance with regulations. Since August 2020, we are the only airline in the world to require PCR testing on all our flights around Forever, at the exit from Abu Dhabi and before returning to it, without exception.
"In February 2021 we were the first airline in the world to vaccinate all its crew and pilots, thus giving our passengers an extra sense of security. The global response to the program has been overwhelmingly positive and recently the Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX) granted us diamond status on Our response to the epidemic. "
You have a very large supply of flights to the east with a stop in Abu Dhabi, and a program that allows free accommodation in Abu Dhabi for one or two nights for those who will fly with you to the east.
What awaits the Israeli passenger who wants to fly with you to Asia?
"Once the flight restrictions are eased, and given Abu Dhabi's geographical proximity to Israel, I believe Israelis will be interested in taking advantage of Etihad's extensive network, especially flights to the east - to destinations such as the Maldives, India, Thailand, Singapore, China, Japan and Australia.
"Of course, with Etihad, Israelis are also invited to fly to New York, Washington, Chicago and Toronto, which means taking advantage of a short stop in Abu Dhabi before continuing to the United States and Canada.
"Before the Corona, we offered our passengers a deal that included accommodation in Abu Dhabi before continuing to the next destination, two nights or more at no cost, depending on the case. Guests could choose from a range of 15 hotels located across the city, including five star hotels.
"However, due to ongoing travel restrictions, this option is not available at this time. Once we return to a regular flight and scheduled flights, we will definitely re-launch a number of stop options and be proud to host a large crowd of visitors coming from around the world."
How do you think the arrival of a company of your size will affect the aviation industry in Israel and do you think that the great competition will lead to a drop in prices?
"In November 2020, after El Al's historic flight to Abu Dhabi - the first flight ever from Israel to the United Arab Emirates - we signed a memorandum of understanding with them. From here, we can already see the two major airlines working together to provide our customers with the best product and service .
"We are currently in the midst of launching the new route to Tel Aviv, with two flights scheduled this week, the first of which landed here in Tel Aviv this week. The demand for flights is huge and we are happy about it.
"Given the local initiatives in the UAE and Israel to deal with the corona, including extensive vaccination campaigns and new industry standards, such as digital green passports that will allow travel, we certainly expect to see growth in demand and flights. And the pricing of competitors operating airlines between the United Arab Emirates and Israel. "