Flying High
Elle India|August 2019

In an industry that is notoriously male-dominated, Etihad Airways is leading from the front. ELLE talks to three Indian women at the very top of the airline’s India operations, who are taking the carrier to new heights.

Flying High

NEERJA BHATIA

Vice president, Indian subcontinent,Etihad Airways

A textile designer by profession, with a degree in maths and sociology, 56-year-old Mumbai-based Neerja Bhatia’s journey with Etihad Airways began in 2004 as a sales manager for western India. 15 years on, she spearheads the airline’s commercial activities in India, Bangladesh, Maldives, Nepal, Seychelles and Sri Lanka, leading an all-women team that takes care of marketing, finance, cargo, and airport operations in the region. Marrying her former love, fashion, with her current responsibilities, Bhatia played a key role in leveraging one of Etihad Airways’s most illustrious recent associations in India—its 2016 agreement with WME | IMG. As a part of this initiative, Etihad Airways extended its support to 17 global fashion weeks annually, with India’s Lakmé Fashion Week being one of them.

Q: What, in your mind, sets Etihad apart?

A: The fact that our guest experience begins well before departure and lasts way beyond arrival; so not just our product, but our services too. For instance, the US pre-clearance facility which enables fliers to complete US immigration and customs at Abu Dhabi International Airport before boarding their US-bound flights.

Q: What do you like to do when you’re not working?

Denne historien er fra August 2019-utgaven av Elle India.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra August 2019-utgaven av Elle India.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA ELLE INDIASe alt
Candid With Kriti
Elle India

Candid With Kriti

After a decade of flirting with fame, the stars have aligned for Kriti Sanon. But under the gilded glory of this cosmic shower, she is clinging on to a "happy, restless" state of mind, finds Hasina Jeelani

time-read
3 mins  |
June 2024
GOLDENBOY
Elle India

GOLDENBOY

In an exclusive interview with ELLE, Footballer Lallianzuala Chhangte shares insights on being at the top of his game

time-read
3 mins  |
June 2024
His Reign
Elle India

His Reign

Shaeroy Chinoy meets Taha Shah Badussha-the breakout star of Netflix's recent release Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar'

time-read
3 mins  |
June 2024
Portrait of a PUBLISHER ON FIRE
Elle India

Portrait of a PUBLISHER ON FIRE

Founder of Seagull Books, Naveen Kishore, reflects on building a global audience and what keeps him in the game. Aindrisha Mitra listens in

time-read
3 mins  |
June 2024
LUXE OFF-ROADING INMOROCCO
Elle India

LUXE OFF-ROADING INMOROCCO

Riaan Jacob George took the nifty Mercedes-AMG GLS 63 out for a rather long spin through the Atlas Mountains, and here's his verdict

time-read
3 mins  |
June 2024
TROPICAL LUXURY
Elle India

TROPICAL LUXURY

Opulence meets tranquillity along the serene beachfront at Ronil Goa-AJdV by Hyatt Hotel, finds Vriddhi Mehra

time-read
2 mins  |
June 2024
DISCOVER THE ULTIMATE RETREAT: COURTYARD BY MARRIOTT ARAVALI RESORT
Elle India

DISCOVER THE ULTIMATE RETREAT: COURTYARD BY MARRIOTT ARAVALI RESORT

Nestled in the serene heart of the Aravali range in Haryana, the Courtyard by Marriott Aravali Resort offers a perfect blend of nature and modern luxury.

time-read
1 min  |
June 2024
THE VIETAGE BY ANANTARA
Elle India

THE VIETAGE BY ANANTARA

Connecting Nha Trang & Quy Nhon, the luxury train is a must-do addition to your Vietnam itinerary

time-read
2 mins  |
June 2024
TEA AMO
Elle India

TEA AMO

What happens when an Indian cocktail bar joins forces with a tea estate? Isha Mayer finds out on a spring tea trail to Darjeeling

time-read
3 mins  |
June 2024
ALPINE CHARM
Elle India

ALPINE CHARM

Isha Mayer discovers ski adventures, fine dining & palace hotels on a winter escape to Courchevel

time-read
5 mins  |
June 2024