Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has released its traffic statistics for September 2024, showcasing another strong performance as the summer holiday season reached its finale. The airline welcomed 1.6 million guests during the month, achieving a notable average passenger load factor of 88%.

Antonoaldo Neves, CEO of Etihad Airways, said: “Our passenger numbers in September saw significant growth compared to the same period last year, highlighting our continuing upwards momentum.

“Year-to-date, Etihad has welcomed 13.6 million passengers, marking a substantial 35% increase from the previous year. As of September 2024, the airline’s rolling 12-month passenger total stands at 17.5 million, up from 10 million in 2022, underlining the pace of our growth in less than two years.

“Despite expanding our capacity compared to 2023, we maintained our robust passenger load factor of 87% year-to-date, demonstrating the continued preference for Etihad among travellers.

“Our route map has swelled to 76 passenger destinations, from 68 this time last year. We announced two new routes Prague and Warsaw in September with more on the horizon, as we continue to fulfil our growth promise.

“The route expansion is facilitated by our fleet growth year-on-year which is augmenting Abu Dhabi’s reputation as a global aviation connector and as a major destination for tourists from around the world.”