Abu Dhabi. 01February2022. Etihad Airways, the national carrier of the United Arab Emirates, has successfully completed IATA Environmental Assessment stage 2 and received accreditation in four key operational areas: facilities management, flight operations, Etihad technical division, Etihad Catering Services.

The IATA Environmental Assessment (IEnvA) programme is a blueprint for airlines to achieve sustainability in all air and ground operations. It is an evaluation system designed to independently assess and improve the environmental management of an airline. Stage 2 represents the highest level of IEnvA compliance and requires an airline to demonstrate ongoing environmental performance improvement.

Etihad, which has committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050 and halving its 2019 emission levels by 2035, is one of only nine airlines globally to complete stage 2 of the assessment.

Mariam Al Qubaisi, Head of Sustainability and Excellence Division, Etihad Airways, said: “Our world is becoming more environmentally conscious by the day. Etihad is proud to play a major part in reducing the carbon impact of the aviation industry, in the UAE and around the world. We have recorded many great achievements, from our first ecoFlight from Abu Dhabi to Brisbane in 2019, to the recent launch of our Sustainability-focused loyalty programme, Conscious Choices, to reward guests for making sustainable choices when they travel and in their everyday life.”

Over the last two years, despite the challenges of Covid-19, Etihad has introduced significant CO2 reduction initiatives under its Greenliner sustainability programme. This includes adopting thousands of mangroves, using sustainable fuels, reducing contrails, flying optimised flight paths, operating electric vehicles and working with partners who share its vision for cleaner skies.