Etihad Aviation Group provides insight into future of air travel
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Etihad Aviation Group (EAG) is providing insight into future of air travel at its innovation hub in Abu Dhabi.
To kick-start Etihad Innovation Week, part of UAE Innovation Week, VIP dignitaries were given an exclusive tour of the Etihad Innovation Centre where they were shown how the power of technology can enhance the guest experience.
VIPs in attendance including His Highness Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development and Her Excellency Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, Minister of State for Federal National Council Affairs,
HH Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan took the opportunity to praise EAG for its innovation strategy and for encouraging young people to embrace technology.
This week the airline is displaying a world where guests’ names are known before they approach check-in, favourite movies are cued up and ready prior to boarding and personalised travel itineraries are generated automatically – all supported by the latest technology, including IBM Watson.
This week’s visitors to the Innovation Centre can also meet Pepper, the humanoid robot, designed with the ability to read emotions and adapt its behaviour accordingly, while “Chef Watson” is creating original recipes for guests by cognitively analysing flavours and ingredients.
James Hogan, President and Chief Executive Officer, Etihad Aviation Group, said: “We operate in a highly competitive environment and in order to meet our guests expectations and deliver optimised efficiencies, an aggressive approach to technology and innovation is a necessity – not an option.”
Last year, Etihad Airways signed a US$700 million strategic partnership with IBM to transform the airline’s global technology operations with cloud, analytics, mobile, security and cognitive technologies.
Etihad Innovation Week also features a Hackathon where university students compete by using IBM Watson’s cognitive technology to produce solutions for the travel industry. The three-day challenge, involving students from universities in Abu Dhabi, is being hosted with Cognit, a joint venture between Mubadala and IBM Watson.
UAE Innovation Week, running until 26 November, is one of the largest innovation initiatives in the world and aims to strengthen the UAE’s position as a global innovation hub.
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