10 October 2019
Etihad Engineering wins MRO Service Provider and Aviation Executive of the Year at Aviation Business Awards
The Etihad Engineering leadership team receiving the MRO Service Provider of the Year 2019 award
Etihad Engineering, the largest commercial aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services provider in the Middle East, received two industry honours at the annual Aviation Business Awards 2019 held in Dubai on Wednesday 9 October.
Etihad Engineering was awarded the ‘MRO Service Provider of the Year’ award in recognition of the company’s strong performance, remarkable achievements and contribution to the industry. The company expanded its comprehensive capabilities partnering with industry leaders regionally and globally to strengthen its global customer footprint beyond the Middle East across Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America.
In addition to maintaining its position as an international centre of excellence for maintenance and repair of the Airbus A380 and the Boeing 787, Etihad Engineering carried out the world’s first 12-year maintenance check on a commercially operated A380 this year, reducing the initial turnaround time expectation and delivering the project on budget. The company also carried out the first heavy maintenance check on an A350 in the Middle East along with full stripping and painting of the aircraft.
Abdul Khaliq Saeed, the Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Engineering and the leading force behind the strong operational and financial results demonstrated by the company, was named ‘Aviation Executive of the Year’. Under his stewardship, Etihad Engineering exceeded its financial targets for 2018, recorded the highest number of profitable man-hours in the history of the company and maintained consistently high on-time performance, month after month.
Abdul Khaliq Saeed said: “We take great pride in the fact that we were able to exceed our targets, grow our business, serve more international customers and deliver consistently high on-time performance this year. This is despite the challenging economic climate and while utilising the same resources – it is a testimony to the dedication of our team to go the extra mile and work efficiently to deliver outstanding results.
“It is an honour to be recognised by the aviation industry, peers and colleagues, as Executive of the Year – this has been made possible by having one of the best teams in the MRO business by my side. The support of our stakeholders, the confidence of our customers and the collaboration of our strategic partners have also been instrumental in helping us achieve our vision to make the UAE a global hub for aerospace and aviation services.”
Etihad Engineering was also a finalist at the Aviation Business Awards for Technology Innovation of the Year and Health and Safety Initiative of the Year.
Etihad Engineering’s state-of-the-art facility is located in Abu Dhabi, adjacent to Abu Dhabi International Airport, over an area of 500,000 sq metres. Aircraft hangars at the facility cover approximately 66,000 sq metres, including 10,000 sq metres of aircraft painting facilities and a custom-designed hangar that can accommodate up to three Airbus A380 aircraft simultaneously. The company has successfully completed maintenance projects over the years for airlines across the world.