More rugby crazy airline chiefs

Talking to more airline chief executives at the Airline Business World Air Forum it emerged that Nico Bezuidenhout of Mango and Peter Davies of Air Malta are also keen followers of the oval ball game. During his playing days as a number 8 for Twickenham rugby club, Davies even lined up against the All-Blacks!

In another rugby-aviation connection, Etihad has received a marketing boost by the start to the season made by its sponsored-team Harlequins, who have won all ten of their competitive games so far and are runaway leaders of the English rugby Premiership.

In return three of this year's mightiest Quins, captain Chris Robshaw, Nick Evans and Mark Lambert have been pulling their considerable weight in helping promote Etihad at the World Travel Market in London.