Etihad Airways has gone into a strategic agreement with Cognizant to drive digital transformation across the airline and its equity partners. The three-year, multi-million dollar deal with Cognizant will include defining a digital strategy and reimagining the guest experience along a guest’s travel journey across the group.
A comprehensive study of Etihad Airways’ current business and technology footprint to outline and operationalise a best-in-class digital ecosystem, enabling multi-channel distribution, customer persona segmentation and personalised marketing techniques will be conducted.
Combining this research with streamlined best practices, processes and technology, the airline will provide guests with customised offerings, tailored travel solutions, and enhanced experiences throughout their journey based on their loyalty status and personal preferences such as product and service features, preferred seating, meal choices, holiday destinations and more.
Cognizant will manage Etihad Airways’ existing web applications and portals and integrate them into the new digital platform. A new Digital Centre of Excellence will be established to drive innovation with the airline’s key technology partners.
Etihad Airways’ clients are increasingly turning to digital channels to connect with the airline. Etihad Airways utilises Twitter to offer direct communications and answers to Premium tier Etihad Guests members’ queries.
The airline recognises the importance of delivering a personalised and seamless guest experience across all touch-points.
Hopefully, the airline will launch a new mobile app soon.
New Cruise Terminal Opens in Zayed Port
Etihad Airways became the first airline in the Middle East to offer onsite airline check-in at a cruise terminal at the newly opened 8,000 sqm terminal at Abu Dhabi’s Zayed Port. It will airlift over 1,000 MSC Cruises passengers per week into and out of Abu Dhabi. A special Fly-Cruise package has been created by Etihad Airways for travellers from any part of the world to experience the splendours of luxury cruising around the Arabian Gulf.
MSC Cruises is the world’s largest privately-owned global cruise line, which offers week long cruises from Abu Dhabi with ports of call including Khor Fakkan in the UAE, Muscat and Khasab in Oman and Dubai. MSC Musica, one of MSC’s ships with 1,268 cabins, will serve the region for the 2015/2016 cruise season from 13 December 2015 to 3 April 2016. It can accommodate over 2,500 passengers.
Hala Abu Dhabi will also provide eight unique tours to MSC Cruises guests that can be pre-purchased online or bought on board the ship. It will also join Etihad Airways to handle the ground services. Etihad Airways will provide a meet and greet service and return coach transfers between Abu Dhabi Airport and the Cruise Terminal.
15 check-in counters at the cruise terminal has been set up by Abu Dhabi Airports Company so that Etihad Airways can provide check-in services allowing passengers to proceed directly to immigration and customs. Previously cruise passengers in the region had to disembark the ship and go to the airport to check-in for their flights.
