Abu Dhabi: Growth in the cargo industry is expected to reach 3.1 per cent this year, according to the head of the Etihad Aviation Group, who said growth in Etihad’s cargo business this year will be driven by Europe, Middle East and south Asia trade lanes.
James Hogan, president and chief executive officer of Etihad Aviation Group, said on Tuesday the Gulf hubs will continue to out-perform.
“Certainly, the Middle East, the Gulf hubs, continue to outperform, but like all businesses, we have to manage our capacity, make sure in regard to revenue, yield, ancillary, that we continue to be very pragmatic in the way that we build our business,” Hogan said.
He was speaking in Abu Dhabi at the 11th World Cargo Symposium, which runs until March 16.
During his speech, Hogan reiterated his stance in support of Open Skies agreements, saying that they are needed by major companies to facilitate growth.
The deal has been under much focus after three US-based airlines slammed Etihad Airways, Emirates and Qatar Airways for unfair competition in the US, claiming that the Gulf carriers have benefited from over $40 billion (Dh147 billion) in subsidies from their respective governments.
The Gulf carriers and the US airlines have since been engaged in a long-winded war of words, though that has not materialised into much more.
“In a tough, competitive world, we are delighted that our major UAE partners have been extremely supportive of us as we tackle the big three in the US in regard to Open Skies. Aviation is about connectivity, it’s about shipment of goods and services, so we should have the capability to compete on a global platform in a fair and sustainable fashion,” Hogan said on Tuesday.
