The first group of Etihad Airways UAE national managers is close to completing the graduate management programme at global travel technology provider, Sabre Corporation, in the US.

The four Emiratis – Nasir Al Ameeri, Tariq Al Jasmi, Noura Al Ali, and Badreyya Al Hebsi – are currently spending 18 months at Sabre’s headquarters in Southlake, Texas, where they are gaining valuable insights on Sabre’s industry-leading technology and how it is used by airlines to manage mission-critical operations such as reservations and operations.

The group’s on-the-job training covers a wide range of technology solutions, used today by Etihad Airways to manage passenger reservations and all areas of flight operations as well as marketing and sales.  This has enabled the managers to learn industry best-practice, which will be used extensively when they return to Abu Dhabi later in the year.

Fatma Al Sahlawi, Etihad Airways’ head of UAE National Development, said: “Etihad Airways is proud to continue to expand its UAE national programme and offer unique opportunities with our partners around the world.”

“The Sabre graduate programme leverages our technology provider’s experience and expertise in frontline systems that are in operation today as well as providing unique insight into emerging trends that will affect our industry, and how Sabre is working to address these opportunities and challenges,” she said.

“As this first group is preparing to return to Abu Dhabi, plans are in place for the next group of UAE nationals to depart for Southlake later in the year,” Al Sahlawi.

The managers will return to Abu Dhabi at the end of 2015 and will re-join Etihad Airways in a variety of roles related to Sabre’s IT streams. – TradeArabia News Service