Carrier on path to recovery as operations grow
Etihad Airways recently announced operating and financial results for the first half of 2021, showing a progressive recovery across its business despite a slower than expected return to global air travel.
The airline carried one million passengers in H1 2021, with an average seat load factor of 24.9%. This represents an average 10% month-on-month growth in passenger volumes since Etihad restarted passenger operations in July 2020.
Network capacity in the first half of 2021 came in at 16.4bn ASKs (Available Seat Kilometres) and has grown steadily since the start of the year, with the airline operating almost 3,500 flights a month to 67 passenger and cargo destinations by the end of June 2021
However, the dip in passenger revenue was offset by strong performance in cargo operations, with a 44% year-on-year increase in freight carried in H1 2021 (365,500 tonnes) and a 56% year-on-year increase in revenue (US$0.8 billion).
“Despite the curveball of the Delta variant disrupting the global recovery in air travel, we have continued to ramp up operations and are today in a much better place than this time in 2020,” commented Tony Douglas, Group Chief Executive Officer. “While the pandemic still poses challenges, Etihad is on the path to becoming a sustainable and profitable business,” remarked Adam Boukadida, Chief Financial Officer.
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