Etihad Airways has appointed Ryan McKeag as its new head of Abu Dhabi airport, the airline said in a statement.

McKeag moved from his current position as Etihad’s airport manager in Sydney, Australia, to take up his new role, where he will lead a newly-restructured Etihad airport management team.

The new management team will consist of four airport hub managers, who will work in shifts to provide round-the-clock control and support to Etihad customers at the airline’s home base, the airline said.

Key aspects of the new role will include Etihad’s move to a new, purpose-built terminal at Abu Dhabi airport in April 2008, where the airline will enjoy exclusive occupancy. The move will also see Etihad take sole charge of all frontline, customer-facing duties at its home base, duties previously carried out by employees of Abu Dhabi Airport Services, it added.

McKeag has 17 years of experience in airline sector, working in a variety of airport roles in Australia, Europe and the Gulf. Prior to joining Etihad in February 2007, he spent four years at Gulf Air, most recently as airport manager in Dublin. Before that, he worked at London Heathrow and Sydney.

Before moving to the Gulf, McKeag spent 13 years across a range of customer service and operational roles at Qantas and Ansett Airlines in Australia.

“Ryan takes charge of the Abu Dhabi airport team at an extremely exciting time. As Etihad continues to grow its flight schedule, the importance of Abu Dhabi gains ever increasing importance as an international connecting airport,” said Etihad Airways’ executive vice-president sales and services Geert Boven.

“We have exciting challenges ahead as we move to a new, purpose-built terminal at Abu Dhabi where, for the first time, all front-line customer jobs will be carried out by our own people. Ryan has already played a significant role in setting up our Sydney and Brisbane airport operation and he brings a wealth of customer service and operational experience which will be invaluable as we seek to develop our home base into a truly world-class airport,” he said. – TradeArabia News Service