Etihad CEO criticises 'original flag carriers'

Etihad Airways CEO, James Hogan, in a speech to the Australian Business Group in Abu Dhabi, criticised the original flag carriers, stating: "Unlike many of the original flag carriers, which ran for decades - yes, decades - on government hand-outs, subsidies and support, our shareholder has been very clear about the return on investment that is expected and the commercial basis on which we are to operate" (Arabian Business, 23-Jun-2010). Mr Hogan said Etihad's commercial principles mean the airline has received no "free-kicks", adding that it receives "no fuel subsidies, no cut-price landing charges" and that "everything is expected to run on a commercial basis".

Etihad Airways: "We've also not been burdened with some of the other legacy problems of those competitors. You only have to look at the challenges being faced by Willie Walsh and his colleagues at British Airways currently to see the cost - both short-term financial and long-term reputational - of such issues," James Hogan, CEO. Source: Arabian Business, 23-Jun-2010.