UAE. Etihad Airways today (1 October) launched its new onboard programme, Vibe. The new Lifestyle Shopping Guide replaces the current onboard Boutique catalogue and was developed by inflight retailer Retail inMotion in conjunction with publishing house Identity.
Etihad said that Vibe will feature “the latest fashion and lifestyle trends; explore the luxury universe of top brands, cult products and exclusive releases; and cover the latest events, shows and travel destinations”.
Regular features will include advice from an in-house health and beauty expert, and tips on favourite travel products from selected crew members. The October issue showcases International Fashion Weeks around the world, the best spots to celebrate the New Year, and the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
“We are enormously excited to launch Vibe into the market. Our market research has shown that the old model of inflight catalogues is outdated; Vibe will engage with passengers at a completely different level, offering great content together with a ‘wish-list’ of products,” said Retail inMotion Head of Global Sales Andrea Fiore. “The guide has been developed after months of research and development, to offer a best-in-class retail experience to Etihad guests.”
Etihad Airways Vice President Product and Guest Experience Jamal Al Awadhi said: “We are committed to providing our guests exceptional service and innovative experiences. The launch of Vibe will set a new global benchmark for the inflight retail experience and future enhancements will include an ecommerce platform, a pre-order option and home delivery.”
“Working with Retail inMotion for Etihad Airways provided us with an exceptional opportunity to leverage our inflight retail publishing expertise, to develop a game-changing concept for the airline. The support and response from suppliers has been truly exceptional”, said Identity Director Michael Dennington.
After contract award in April 2018, Retail inMotion took over the Boutique programme in November 2018, followed by the introduction of the ‘Sweet or Salty’ food & beverage retail programme in April 2019.
