The airline has asked affected passengers to switch to an alternative travel date between December 25 and January 23, or be refunded.

Etihad Airways will scrap flights to Tehran on January 24, the latest route to be dropped as the Abu Dhabi airline pursues a strategy review.

The airline launched the review in 2016 that has also seen it sell or step away from investments in foreign carriers.

Etihad's five weekly flights to Iran's capital will be reduced to two a week between December 25 and January 23, before it suspends the route entirely on January 24, an airline spokeswoman said.

She declined to say why the route was being suspended, but said in a statement that affected passengers could switch to an alternative travel date between December 25 and January 23, or be refunded.

Since launching the strategy review, Etihad has said it would cut flights to San Francisco and Dallas-Fort Worth in the US.

The airline has regretted for inconvenience caused to passengers with existing bookings.

Passengers holding bookings for travel up to January 23 and affected by the schedule change will be re-booked with an alternative travel date subject to availability or offered the choice of a full refund.

Passengers with bookings from January 24 will be offered a full refund.

Britain's top defence buyer Tony Douglas will join Etihad next month as its new group chief executive, as the airline rethinks its rapid expansion strategy.

Two of Etihad's major foreign investments, Air Berlin and Italy's Alitalia, filed for administration this year.

Douglas, who joins Etihad from Britain's Ministry of Defence, has previously served as chief executive of Abu Dhabi's airport company.

Etihad has made few details public about its strategy review, which since being launched has seen the departure of its James Hogan, its group chief executive who led the airline for a decade.



Tourism Observer

Tony Douglas
The Chairman of Etihad Aviation Group, His Excellency Mohamed Mubarak Fadhel Al Mazrouei, today confirmed the appointment of Tony Douglas as Group Chief Executive Officer, who will join the company in January 2018.

Mr. Douglas joins Etihad from the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence, where he has served as CEO of the Defence Equipment and Support department, responsible for procuring and supporting all the equipment and services for the British Armed Forces.

In the UK, he held senior positions with airport operator BAA, and as Chief Operating Officer and Group Chief Executive designate of Laing O’Rourke.

His roles under airport operator BAA included Managing Director of the Heathrow Terminal 5 project, Group Supply Chain Director, Group Technical Director, and CEO of Heathrow Airport.

Previously, Mr. Douglas held senior positions in the UAE, most notably as CEO of Abu Dhabi Airports Company and as CEO of Abu Dhabi Ports Company where he was responsible for the successful delivery of Khalifa Port.

Mr. Douglas will be supported by an experienced group leadership team which includes Ray Gammell, who will return to his position as Group Chief People & Performance Officer; Ricky Thirion, Interim Group Chief Financial Officer; Kevin Knight, Group Chief Strategy & Planning Officer; Mana Mohamed Saeed Al Mulla, Chief Group Support Services Officer; Henning zur Hausen, General Counsel; and Amina Taher, Vice President Corporate Affairs.

The divisional CEOs will report directly to Mr. Douglas, including Peter Baumgartner, CEO of Etihad Airways; Chris Youlten, Managing Director of Etihad Airport Services; Abdul Khaliq Saeed, CEO of Etihad Airways Engineering; Gavin Halliday, Managing Director of Hala Group; and Robin Kamark who joins as CEO, Airline Equity Partners in October 2017.



Tourism Observer