Etihad looks forward to payback
ABU DHABI – Etihad Airways is seeing strong demand for economy and business tickets in Australia and the Asia-Pacific region, particularly from the Philippines and Indonesia, says the airline’s CEO, James Hogan.
India was “coming backâ€, Hogan told The National newspaper, while the Middle East and Europe were “two areas of concernâ€.
Etihad is hoping to achieve its first profit in 2011.
Etihad’s business will benefit as new projects and events in Abu Dhabi attract more passengers, Hogan said.
The airline expects to begin receiving in 2014 its first Boeing 787 Dreamliners and Airbus A380 superjumbos – both part of a US$21bn order for 100 aircraft placed in 2008.
Hogan said the airline is increasingly focused on its investments in new routes and services benefiting the bottom line.
“We are now going to achieve payback as we move to the maturity stage,†he said.
Etihad reported a 25.4 per cent growth in revenue passenger kilometres (RPKs) in the first quarter of 2010, out-pacing the industry average and running ahead of the airline’s available seat kilometres (ASKs) growth of 22 per cent.
Passenger numbers increased by 11 percent and, despite the continuing economic downturn affecting many of Etihad’s international markets, premium traffic also increased by five percent.
Asia-Pacific and Australian routes are operating at seat factors of more than 80 percent in the economy cabin, while European, American and Australian routes are operating at more than two thirds full in the business cabin during the period.
Ian Jarrett
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