Etihad Airways reported strong traffic growth for the first three quarters of 2024 ahead of plans to make a significant number of route announcements in coming months.
The Abu Dhabi-based airline carried 13.6 million passengers for the nine months ended Sept. 30, up 35% year-over-year. For the 12 months ended Sept. 30, Etihad carried 17.5 million passengers, which the airline noted is 75% above the 10 million carried in the 12 months ended September 2022, an indication of the airline’s fast pace of growth over the past two years.
CEO Antonoaldo Neves said the airline has demonstrated “continuing upwards momentum,” adding that load factors have remained steady as the airline has grown, with September’s 88% load factor topping 87% in September 2023.
Etihad operated to 76 destinations in September, up from 68 in September 2023.
“The route expansion is facilitated by our fleet growth year-on-year, which is augmenting Abu Dhabi’s reputation as a global aviation connector,” Neves said.
Etihad operated 95 aircraft in September, 16 more than September 2023.
Etihad chief revenue and commercial officer Arik De recently told delegates at Routes World in Bahrain that the carrier will announce 11 new routes on Nov. 25 and another 20 in the first two months of 2025. “We are growing at 40% each year,” De said.
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