Etihad Airways has enjoyed a record-breaking first quarter and remains on track to achieve its 2008 target of carrying six million passengers by the end of the year.
The Abu Dhabi-based airline carried 1.4 million passengers during the first three months of 2008, compared to one million for the same period in 2007, an increase of 40 per cent.
The airline achieved average seat factors of 75 per cent across its network of 45 destinations during the first quarter of 2008, which covers the months of January, February and March.
Year-on-year, the airline's seat factor has increased by seven percentage points as Etihad continues to expand its global flight schedule and add aircraft to a fleet which will grow to 40 by the end of 2008.
Yield, the average amount received per ticket, also rose by 25 per cent compared to the same period last year.
Etihad has launched one new destination so far in 2008, starting flights to Beijing on 30 March. In the summer, the airline will also begin flying to Kozhikode (Calicut) and Chennai (Madras), after securing flying rights earlier this year to four new destinations in India. Etihad is currently finalising when it will commence flights to the two other Indian destinations of Jaipur and Kolkata (Calcutta).
The airline also plans to fly to Moscow and the Kazakh city of Almaty in December 2008 and to the Belarus capital of Minsk early next year. Etihad will also boost its flying programme to Australia by the end of 2008, by increasing its existing daily service to Sydney to 11 flights per week.
James Hogan, Etihad Airways' chief executive, said: ' The performance of Etihad during the first quarter of 2008 has been outstanding, breaking all previous records. As we continue to expand our global network and strengthen our schedule, we remain confident of achieving our target of carrying six million passengers by the end of the year.
'I would like to acknowledge the support and close cooperation Etihad continues to receive from Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC), Abu Dhabi Airport Services and the Department of Transport in achieving these fantastic figures.' During the first quarter of 2008, all Etihad's cabins experienced increased seat factors compared to the same period in 2007, with particularly strong performances coming from the airline's first and business class cabins.
In addition to the new routes to Beijing and Calicut, Etihad Airways is increasing the frequency of its flights to a number of key destinations within the GCC, Middle East, Europe, Indian sub-continent, Africa and the Asia Pacific region.
Etihad's strong network across the Middle East is being strengthened further this summer, with extra weekly services from Abu Dhabi to Amman (six flights at present to 10), Beirut (eight to 11) and Damascus (six to 10). Within Europe, flights to the Irish capital of Dublin have increased from six flights a week to a daily service.
Etihad flights to the Egyptian capital of Cairo are increasing from 10 flights a week to 12 and to the Sudanese capital of Khartoum from four flights a week to five. Within the Indian sub-continent, the airline's existing 13 flights a week service to Karachi in Pakistan is being boosted to a twice-daily service.
The first quarter of 2008 has also witnessed a record performance from Etihad's cargo division. Etihad Crystal Cargo has seen more than 60,000 global shipments, an increase of 20 per cent compared to the first three months of 2007. These shipments had a combined weight of more than 43,000 tonnes. WAM
The Abu Dhabi-based airline carried 1.4 million passengers during the first three months of 2008, compared to one million for the same period in 2007, an increase of 40 per cent.
The airline achieved average seat factors of 75 per cent across its network of 45 destinations during the first quarter of 2008, which covers the months of January, February and March.
Year-on-year, the airline's seat factor has increased by seven percentage points as Etihad continues to expand its global flight schedule and add aircraft to a fleet which will grow to 40 by the end of 2008.
Yield, the average amount received per ticket, also rose by 25 per cent compared to the same period last year.
Etihad has launched one new destination so far in 2008, starting flights to Beijing on 30 March. In the summer, the airline will also begin flying to Kozhikode (Calicut) and Chennai (Madras), after securing flying rights earlier this year to four new destinations in India. Etihad is currently finalising when it will commence flights to the two other Indian destinations of Jaipur and Kolkata (Calcutta).
The airline also plans to fly to Moscow and the Kazakh city of Almaty in December 2008 and to the Belarus capital of Minsk early next year. Etihad will also boost its flying programme to Australia by the end of 2008, by increasing its existing daily service to Sydney to 11 flights per week.
James Hogan, Etihad Airways' chief executive, said: ' The performance of Etihad during the first quarter of 2008 has been outstanding, breaking all previous records. As we continue to expand our global network and strengthen our schedule, we remain confident of achieving our target of carrying six million passengers by the end of the year.
'I would like to acknowledge the support and close cooperation Etihad continues to receive from Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC), Abu Dhabi Airport Services and the Department of Transport in achieving these fantastic figures.' During the first quarter of 2008, all Etihad's cabins experienced increased seat factors compared to the same period in 2007, with particularly strong performances coming from the airline's first and business class cabins.
In addition to the new routes to Beijing and Calicut, Etihad Airways is increasing the frequency of its flights to a number of key destinations within the GCC, Middle East, Europe, Indian sub-continent, Africa and the Asia Pacific region.
Etihad's strong network across the Middle East is being strengthened further this summer, with extra weekly services from Abu Dhabi to Amman (six flights at present to 10), Beirut (eight to 11) and Damascus (six to 10). Within Europe, flights to the Irish capital of Dublin have increased from six flights a week to a daily service.
Etihad flights to the Egyptian capital of Cairo are increasing from 10 flights a week to 12 and to the Sudanese capital of Khartoum from four flights a week to five. Within the Indian sub-continent, the airline's existing 13 flights a week service to Karachi in Pakistan is being boosted to a twice-daily service.
The first quarter of 2008 has also witnessed a record performance from Etihad's cargo division. Etihad Crystal Cargo has seen more than 60,000 global shipments, an increase of 20 per cent compared to the first three months of 2007. These shipments had a combined weight of more than 43,000 tonnes. WAM
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