Beiruting News

Oscar winner Nicole Kidman has described Abu Dhabi as a "second home" and vows to spend more time in the capital as she is launched as the new face of the UAE's national airline.

As the Hollywood star visited the capital for the announcement by the airline, Kidman spoke of her fondness for the emirate and its national airline.

"This is my second home here," she said. "I have done movies all over the Middle East but I have also flown Etihad many times prior to coming Etihad ambassador. I spend so much time flying just because of my job and also because I am a traveller and I am curious about the world."

Kidman told The National that when she was approached by the Abu Dhabi carrier to become its global Brand Ambassador it came as perfect timing due to a break in her filming schedule and a passion for flying that once made her consider applying for her own pilot's licence.

"Obviously I knew Etihad as I had flown with them before and I love flying and I get excited to fly so the idea of getting to do something with such a luxurious airline was really appealing," she said.

"Particularly The Residences because I heard of it and I was like "oh my god I have got to see this". When they said we would be shooting on it I just thought this would be really magnificent."

Kidman said she was not disappointed.

"It was actually better than I thought and much bigger than I thought," said the actress who donned a purple dress and burgundy heels for the interview in Emirates Palace. "When I first saw the First Class cabins on the A380 I thought they were actually The Residences.

"It is one-of-a-kind. An apartment in the sky. It is so big. And you can have a shower."

Filming the commercial was an experience, said Kidman. "It was the actual plane so I feel like I have lived in it now. I was there for some many hours. But the bed is incredibly comfortable."

Although she has not actually flown in The Residences, she has a London to Abu Dhabi trip planned onboard the "hotel in the sky".

The Residences - and Etihad - brings back a certain amount of glamour to flying, she said.

"I always liken The Residences to the Orient Express," she said. "When we have shown people the commercial they said: '"Oh it looks like a train" and I said "yes, it has that glamour". "I think that is a huge complement because I think we all still think of the train travel of yesteryear as the most glamorous way of travelling and somehow flying has not had that same glamour attached to it.

"It used to when it first began but I think it has been downgraded over time and I think people don't dress now when they go on planes.

" They don't approach it with the same respect. I am always shocked when I see people get on a plane on shorts. Because I really think you should dress to go on a plane no matter what class you are in.

"Even to show your children that we are going somewhere and this is still extraordinary that we can get on a plane and go somewhere and be there very, very quickly. I am still in that place of gratefulness that we can do that."

Kidman said she had wrapped up a film on Friday and had managed to get to Abu Dhabi by Saturday.

"And that is a miracle," she said.