A group of Etihad Airways cabin crew are set to become the aviation world's first flying butlers, having completed a specially tailored three week training course in London. The team demonstrated their outstanding hospitality skills during training at the world-renowned Savoy Hotel.
A series of master classes given by the hotel's Head Butler, Sean Davoren, focused on etiquette and protocol, valet skills and concierge services, to boost the cabin crew's existing high level customer service experience.
Aubrey Tiedt, Etihad Airways' Vice President Guest Services, said, "I am extremely proud of the team's achievements and they all qualified with flying colours to become the world's first ever butlers in the sky. They are really enthusiastic and cannot wait to board the A380 aircraft and put into practice all that they have learned.
"Etihad Airways aims to be the best in everything we set out to do and the flying butlers will provide a level of service that no traveller has ever experienced in commercial aviation." Sean Davoren said, "The Etihad Airways trainees have been an absolute joy to work with and they all now possess the skills required to provide the highest standard of hospitality for the airline's premium guests, by blending the discretion of a traditional English butler with the efficiency of a 21st century personal assistant." The first Etihad Airways A380 service will fly from the U.A.E. capital to London's Heathrow Airport on Saturday 27th December. The airline will receive three more of the superjumbo aircraft in 2015 and the new planes will fly Abu Dhabi - London and Abu Dhabi - Sydney. New York will follow as the next destination for the A380.