UAE’s Etihad becomes world’s first airline to vaccinate entire flying crew

All pilots and cabin crew working for Abu Dhabi carrier Etihad Airways have now been vaccinated against the Covid-19 virus.

100% of our crew are vaccinated. We’re the first airline in the world to vaccinate all pilots and cabin crew on board against #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/LUeAH7Q4pL

— Etihad Airways (@etihad) February 10, 2021

This initiative makes Etihad the first airline in the world to host an entirely vaccinated flying crew. While pilots and cabin crew onboard have received their first vaccine dost, majority of them stand fully inoculated, having received the second jab as well.

All operating pilots and cabin crew at @Etihad have chosen to vaccinate to help curb the spread of Covid-19 and support safe travel. The airline is the first in the world with its entire flying crew receiving their first vaccine dose, and the majority already receiving both. pic.twitter.com/4qemvVbD1S

— مكتب أبوظبي الإعلامي (@admediaoffice) February 10, 2021

Meanwhile, over 75 per cent of the carrier’s entire workforce has already received at least one dose of the vaccine.

Tony Douglas, group chief executive officer, Etihad Aviation Group, said: “We proactively made the vaccine available to all our employees to not only help combat the effects of Covid-19 but to make travellers feel confident and reassured the next time they fly with us. We are the only airline in the world to make Covid-19 testing mandatory for every passenger and crew member before every flight and now, we’re the first airline in the world with 100 per cent vaccinated crew on board.”

Douglas received his first dose of the Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccine on January 4, at the Etihad Airways Medical Centre.

Read: Etihad CEO Tony Douglas receives Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccine in Abu Dhabi

This achievement came through via Etihad’s ‘Protected Together’ employee vaccination initiative,  launched in January this year. Etihad was one of the first employers in Abu Dhabi to secure places for its frontline staff – including pilots and cabin crew – in Abu Dhabi’s vaccination programme. The Etihad Airways Medical Centre also became an accredited Covid-19 vaccination clinic.

Dr. Nadia Bastaki, vice president, medical services and CSR, Etihad Aviation Group, said: “Following the national vaccination programme, we worked tirelessly to become an approved Covid-19 vaccination clinic to support our staff, and their dependants, be able to easily access the vaccine. Since December 2020, we have been offering in-house vaccination appointments to our employees and their loved ones to ensure we are focused on our employee’s wellbeing.”