Etihad Airways Carried 1.4 Million People In April

Etihad Airways says it carried 1.4 million passengers across April 2024, with load factors at 84%.

In its latest release, the carrier highlighted the visible improvements enjoyed year over year. One year prior, across the same period, Etihad only carried 1 million passengers with an 81% load factor.

The airline’s fleet size increased to 89 units in April, up from the 75 operated in April 2023. Additionally, the airline added 5 new destinations to its network.

The month represented another important month for the company on a pathway to continued growth. Their CEO highlighted the 39% year-on-year customer growth as incredibly encouraging, meaning changes to the network have positively affected the business.

Additionally, the news of solid growth across April comes only days after the airline reported its first quarter 2024 results. Similarly to its passenger numbers, the underlying theme was positivity throughout.

Etihad Airways is currently on a pathway to growth, which is highlighted through Journey 2030. This plan will see the airline more than double its fleet, focusing on increasing the number of destinations it serves.

Airbus A380 Helps Boost Capacity

The return of the Airbus A380 to the airline’s network has been hugely influential in boosting capacity to specific destinations.

Initially, Etihad Airways had only plans to return the aircraft to London Heahtrow from Abu Dhabi. However, after some persistent network studies, the airline determined that other markets needed a capacity boost.

As a result, Etihad Airways now uses the Airbus A380 on its New York route alongside London Heathrow. Additionally, the airline plans to reintroduce the aircraft to Paris on November 1.

For an aircraft that seemingly had no future within the airline’s operations during the pandemic, its return has been a sight to behold. As airlines battle ongoing supply chain difficulties, acquiring next-generation aircraft on time is a challenge, and existing widebodies have become more useful.

Etihad Airways retired the aircraft during the pandemic with no intention of returning it to service. However, as demand surged and the airline was unable to acquire next-generation jets on time, its strategy pivoted, and it returned to the Airbus A380 once more.