Carrier welcomed two million more passengers from January to May this year compared to the same period in 2023.
The United Arab Emirates's national airline, Etihad Airways, carried about 1.5 million passengers in May, a 38 percent increase from last year. The Abu Dhabi-based carrier has invited two million more passengers from January to May this year compared to the first five months of 2023. Etihad Airways saw its passenger load factor, the metric used in measuring the percentage of available seating capacity filled with passengers, average at 84 per cent across the month.
Antonoaldo Neves, the CEO of Etihad Airways, noted a strong positive growth trajectory throughout the year. "We achieved a 38 per cent year-to-date increase in passengers, and our YTD count has reached 7.2 million, meaning we have already welcomed two million more passengers this year than the same period of 2023," he said. "Our rolling 12-month passenger numbers to the end of May 2024 now stand at just over 16 million."
Increasing the Fleet Size
Etihad's operating fleet size has also risen by 15 aircraft year on year to 90. "In May, after intense months of activity involving teams across the airline, we brought the first of the six A321neos expected in 2024 into operation," Neves said. He also said, "These aircraft further boost our growing network and frequencies and deliver a 20 per cent fuel burn and CO2 emissions advantage, underlining our commitment to more modern and efficient aircraft."
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