The Etihad Airways CEO Antonoaldo Neves says that more new routes are “on the horizon” as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) flag carrier announced that passenger numbers have soared by 35% by comparison to last year.
Revealing the September 2024 traffic statistics on October 14, 2024, Neves said that 13.6 million passengers have flown with Etihad so far this year compared to 10.1 million in 2023.
“Year-to-date, Etihad has welcomed 13.6 million passengers, marking a substantial 35% increase from the previous year. As of September 2024, the airline’s rolling 12-month passenger total stands at 17.5 million, up from 10 million in 2022, underlining the pace of our growth in less than two years,” said the Etihad CEO.
Etihad said that as the summer holiday season drew to a close the carrier saw a strong performance with 1.6 million passengers flying Etihad in September 2024, as opposed to 1.2 million in September 2023.
“Our passenger numbers in September saw significant growth compared to the same period last year, highlighting our continuing upwards momentum,” Neves added.
Etihad also reported that the average passenger load factor was 88% in September 2024, up by 1% from 2023, and 87% so far in 2024, compared to 86% from January to September last year.
“Despite expanding our capacity compared to 2023, we maintained our robust passenger load factor of 87% year-to-date, demonstrating the continued preference for Etihad among travelers,” Neves reported.
The Etihad CEO also hinted that more new routes would soon be announced, after two were confirmed in September 2024.
From the cockpit, to the world ✈️Where are we flying you next? #Etihad pic.twitter.com/bUK61g0rD6
— Etihad Airways (@etihad) October 6, 2024
“Our route map has swelled to 76 passenger destinations, from 68 this time last year. We announced two new routes Prague and Warsaw in September with more on the horizon, as we continue to fulfil our growth promise,” Neves said.
He added: “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.”