UAE airline running at 87 percent passenger capacity in 2024

ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - Etihad Airways, the UAE's national airline, has announced strong traffic figures for September 2024, marking a successful end to the summer holiday season. The airline welcomed 1.6 million passengers during the month, achieving an impressive average passenger load factor of 88 percent.

Antonoaldo Neves, CEO of Etihad Airways, highlighted the company's upward trajectory. "Our passenger numbers in September saw significant growth compared to the same period last year, highlighting our continuing upwards momentum," Neves said Monday.

Year-to-date, the airline has served 13.6 million passengers, reflecting a substantial 35 percent increase from the previous year. As of September 2024, Etihad's rolling 12-month passenger total reached 17.5 million, a notable rise from 10 million in 2022, underscoring rapid growth over less than two years.

"Despite expanding our capacity compared to 2023, we maintained our robust passenger load factor of 87 percent year-to-date, demonstrating the continued preference for Etihad among travellers," Neves said.

The airline's network has expanded to 76 passenger destinations, up from 68 at the same time last year. Last month, Etihad announced new routes to Prague and Warsaw, with plans to add more destinations as part of its growth strategy.

"The route expansion is facilitated by our fleet growth year-on-year, which is augmenting Abu Dhabi's reputation as a global aviation connector and as a major destination for tourists from around the world," Neves added.