Abu Dhabi: UAE’s national carrier, Etihad Airways, carried 1.7 million passengers in the busy summer month of August, achieving a passenger load of 89 per cent. Year-to-date, the airline has carried 12 million passengers, a 36 per cent increase compared to the previous year, said Antonoaldo Neves, CEO of Etihad Airways. Year-to-date passenger loads now stand at 86 per cent.
The numbers reflect a solid performance during the summer holiday season, Neves said.
“Our passenger numbers in August increased significantly compared to the same period last year, demonstrating our continued growth momentum,” the CEO explained in a statement issued Tuesday.
The airline carried more than 17 million passengers in the past year (from August 2023 to August 2024), nearly 70 per cent higher than the total number of passengers carried in all of 2022.
"We maintained a healthy passenger load factor of 89 per cent for August 2024, even as we expanded our capacity compared to 2023. This robust performance, particularly during the holiday period, underscores the growing preference for Etihad among travellers,” he added.
Operating fleet
The airline’s operating fleet has grown to 95 aircraft, up from 79 for the same period last year. In the past 12 months, Etihad Airways has added 16 new aircraft to its fleet.
“This is a result of the ambition and commitment of the entire company, working together to achieve this in exceptional time, while at the same time consistently delivering a load factor exceeding 86 per cent,” he added.
In August, the airline brought the last of the two six A321neos expected in 2024 into operations.
“In addition, we are now flying to 10 more passenger destinations than at the same point last year, totalling 76 destinations. This expansion enhances our network and supports Abu Dhabi's position as a global aviation hub and a major destination for tourists worldwide,” he stated.
The airline is charting an ambitious growth plan through to 2030. It aims to triple the number of passengers carried to 33 million and double its fleet size to over 150 planes from the 95 it has now.
Growth plans
In anticipation a busy summer next year, Etihad Airways unveiled its summer 2025 schedule last week, with a double-daily debut on many top European destinations. The airline is boosting its services to popular European destinations, offering year-round double-daily flights between Abu Dhabi and major cities such as Paris, Milan, Rome, Manchester, Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich, Barcelona, and Madrid.
Additionally, seasonal flights to Malaga will increase to five times per week. Flights to Bali will be upgraded daily after massive customer demand and Sydney flights will grow to 10 per week. A potential IPO of the ADQ-owned airline is also in the works, expected to debut no later than 2025, sources told Reuters.
Etihad had considered listing this year, the sources said. However, it wants to present investors with 2024 financial results that will show a strong performance, one of the people said. Geopolitical instability in the region has also weighed on timing, the second person said.
ADQ declined to comment. In response to the Reuters report, the airline told Gulf News, "Etihad does not comment on rumour or speculation."
