Dubai: Abu Dhabi is seeing the benefits of last year’s Etihad Airways’ $379 million (Dh1.39 billion) stake purchase in Jet Airways with passenger numbers at the emirates’ main airport recording their highest ever monthly increase.
Abu Dhabi International posted on Monday a 27.4 per cent passenger traffic increase for the month of May. There were 1,633,700 passengers that travelled through the airport compared to 1,282,185 in May 2013. For the year to May, passenger numbers are up 19 per cent to 7.8 million compared to 6.6 million the same period last year.
“India, as one of our main traffic drivers recorded a significant increase of 60 per cent this month due to an increase of Jet Airways flights to 65 per week (compared to 18 in May 2013),” stated Ahmad Al Haddabi, chief operations officer at Abu Dhabi Airports. However, Abu Dhabi Airports declined to release India-Abu Dhabi passenger figures.
Etihad’s November 2013 24 per cent stake purchase in loss-making Jet Airways has given it a foothold into one of the world’s largest economies. Gulf carriers have longed for greater access into India and last year Etihad was given 35,000 extra seats.
Jet Airways has also doubled the number of destinations it serves from India to Abu Dhabi to six over the past 12 months.
John Strickland, director of UK-based JLS Consulting, said the significant increase in passengers has been boosted by improved connecting schedules following the Etihad-Jet Airways tie-up.
While Etihad and Jet Airways code-share on flights with passengers connecting on Etihad services to Australia, Africa, the Middle East, Europe and the America’s, more Indian visitors are staying in the emirate. Abu Dhabi recorded a 37 per cent jump in hotel arrivals by Indian nationals in the month of May to 20,680, compared to 15,091 in May 2013, according to the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority.
Passengers on the Mumbai service, which is served by Etihad and Jet Airways double daily flights, grew by 87 per cent in May compared to the same month a year earlier, according to Abu Dhabi Airports. Mumbai is now a top-five destination from Abu Dhabi.
Many of Etihad’s seven equity stakes, soon to be eight with the expected addition of Alitalia, are loss-making airlines. However, James Hogan, Etihad president and chief executive, has said the equity group allows the Abu Dhabi airline to build its network much faster than it could on its own.
