Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, held a series of events and activities showcasing its approach to innovation in technology and sustainability during the UAE Innovation Week held from Nov. 22-28.

The nationwide Innovation Week was announced by Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, VP & PM of the UAE and ruler of Dubai, as part of the UAE’s National Innovation Strategy launched in October 2014.

The weeklong activities sought to promote the country’s position as a global innovation hub, and encourage innovative thinking within the government and private sectors, as well as from the public.

A tour of the Etihad Airways Innovation Centre was led by the airline’s President and CEO James Hogan, who welcomed Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoon Al-Nahyan, chairman of the transport department and member of the Executive Council, Abu Dhabi; Major Gen. Mohammed Khalfan Al-Romaithi, deputy commander-in-chief of Abu Dhabi Police and member of the Executive Council; and Saeed Saif Al-Neyadi, GM of Abu Dhabi Monitoring and Control Centre.

Members of Etihad Airways’ executive team present included Khaled Al-Mehairbi, SVP, government and aeropolitical affairs; Hareb Al-Muhairy, SVP, corporate and international affairs; and Abdul Qader Hussein Ahmed, VP, government and international affairs.

The Innovation Centre is a research wing of excellence where fresh ideas are brought to life. It is also home to Etihad Airways’ Training Academy, which comprises the largest A380 and B787 cabin service and safety trainers in the world.

Hogan said: “In a competitive market environment such as aviation, a sustained innovation process is fundamental to providing the best possible products and services to our guests now and into the future. In seeking new ideas and challenging the standards, we benchmark ourselves outside the airline sector to take inspiration from global best practice of leaders within the hospitality industry.”