Etihad launches competition aimed at advancing entrepreneurship in the UAE

Etihad Aviation Group (EAG) recently announced the launch of Fikra, a UAE-based competition for students to grow entrepreneurship and innovation across the country.
 
“Innovation is key to how we do business and how we will continue to grow as a travel group,” Ray Gammell, chief people and performance officer for EAG, said. “We’ve reached the size we are today by innovating quickly and supporting an entrepreneurial spirit throughout our business units. That commitment doesn’t stop; the new Fikra project gives us an opportunity to hear from the country’s next generation and we hope it will deliver ideas that can push us to the next level of our development.”
 
The competition will focus on 10 areas where the company is looking for specific ideas. These key areas of business are digital evolution, stopover visits, ancillary sales opportunities, improving loyalty schemes, specialist cargo, social media, youth engagement, airport experience and the environment.
 
“The competition will provide another opportunity for the youth of the UAE to tell us about their ideas so we can continue to build both the best airline but also one fit for the challenges of the future,” Hareb Al Muhairy, senior vice president for corporate and International affairs at EAG, said. “Innovation is essential to the development of our airline, and we’re excited about the ideas we’re going to see and the possibilities ahead.”