Etihad announces winner of 'Escape to Maldives' competition

Etihad Airways has announced Lynette Dobson from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, as the lucky winner of two tickets to the Maldives through its 'Escape to Paradise' Facebook competition.

Over 8,000 people across the globe entered the competition, which used a Facebook quiz to find out how romantic the respondents were. The competition posed situations such as "You're watching a beautiful sunset, you say" a) "The sun's getting tired and so am I" b) "There’s not much to do around here" c) "If beauty was a drop of water, then you’d be the ocean" d) "I have sand in my pants" or e) "You look great in this light". The application then determined where users lay on the romantic scale of 'Cold Fish' to 'Sizzling Hot'.

Winner Lynette, whose name was picked at random, was deemed to be a 'sizzling hot' romantic, and perfectly suited to a trip to the Maldives.

The stunning Maldive islands, located 700 kilometres southwest of Sri Lanka in the Indian Ocean, have long represented a romantic dream for holidaymakers and travellers across the world.

Etihad will launch daily flights to Malé in the Maldives on November 1, and following her win Lynette will be on the inaugural flight. Despite the remote location, these new flights mean it is easier than ever to plan a trip of a lifetime and discover this idyllic destination.

"I can't believe I've been lucky enough to win this prize," said Lynette. "I've always wanted to go to the Maldives and Etihad have made my dream come true."

James Hogan, Etihad Airways Chief Executive Officer, said: "We are very excited to be launching flights to the Maldives later this year, and to be opening up this exclusive destination to more guests than ever. It is with great pleasure that we invite Lynette to visit these stunning islands, and sample our award winning airline, in celebration."

FACTFILE:
Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, began operations in 2003, and in 2010 carried more than seven million passengers. From its hub at Abu Dhabi International Airport, Etihad serves 72 cities in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia and North America, with a fleet of 61 Airbus and Boeing aircraft, and 100 aircraft on order, including 10 Airbus A380s, the world’s largest passenger aircraft. For more information, please visit: www.etihadairways.com.