Bangkok--8 Nov--TQPR
Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, celebrates its seventh anniversary today, November 5, 2010.
In seven years of rapid growth, Etihad has flown over 26 million passengers on more than 180,000 flights to destinations across the Middle East, Africa, Australia, Europe, North America, and Asia. Over the same period the airline’s fleet has grown to 57 aircraft in 2010.
James Hogan, Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Airways, said: “We have witnessed tremendous growth over the past seven years in our route network, aircraft fleet, passenger figures and number of employees.
“Industry and customer endorsement is evidence of Etihad’s significant achievements over this period and is testimony to the enormous commitment of our staff in delivering the very best travel experience in the aviation industry.”
Emerging from the global recession, 2010 has seen the return of passenger travel. To date this year, Etihad has carried over 6 million passengers and is expected to carry more than 7.3 million passengers by the end of the 2010, compared to 6.3 million in 2009. The load factor has also increased significantly from 74 per cent in 2009, and is expected to average 77 per cent for 2010.
Five new routes were added to the airline’s global network during 2010 - Colombo, Nagoya, Tokyo, Erbil, and Seoul - while access to many key destinations on Etihad’s global network was improved following a 12 per cent increase in the number of weekly flights from 928 in 2009 to more than a thousand in 2010.
To serve network growth, fleet expansion continued in 2010 with the addition of three new aircraft including one A330-300 aircraft and two A330-200F freighter aircraft. A further A330-300 aircraft will come into service by November 13, bringing the fleet complement, including six freighters, to 57 by year end.
Growth in the sky was matched by continued expansion on the ground where staff numbers increased to more than 8000, including around 2800 cabin crew and over 900 pilots. Etihad currently has more than 60 ‘new-joiners’ each month, drawn from more than 120 different nationalities.
Emiratisation remains a priority for the airline and recruitment of top talent from across the UAE continues. UAE nationals now comprise 12 per cent of the total workforce, up from eight per cent in 2009.
Etihad’s cargo division, Crystal Cargo, continued to expand rapidly during 2010. Cargo shipments and tonnage increased year on year by 19 and 20 per cent respectively. The dedicated freighter fleet increased to six after two Airbus A330-200F were taken into service this year, and scheduled cargo services were launched to Hong Kong, Beijing, Erbil and N’djamena, Narita and Nagoya.
Etihad Airways won a range awards to add to its growing trophy cabinet, including ‘World’s Best First Class Airline Seat’ and ‘World’s Best First Class Onboard Catering’ in the annual Skytrax survey, as judged by over 18 million air travellers worldwide. The airline was also recognised at the World Travel Awards Middle East with over six awards received including ‘World’s Leading Airline’.
James Hogan said: “It has been a tremendously exciting and productive year for Etihad Airways and we are looking forward to our eighth year of commercial operation, remaining firmly dedicated to our target of breaking even in 2011.”
Note to editor:
In Thailand, the airline launched its services to the Thai capital in April 2004. Since then Bangkok has quickly established itself as one of Etihad’s most popular business and leisure travel destinations with a strong performance as well as a remarkable increase in the number of passenger year-on-year.
The Etihad operation team in Thailand is currently led by Mr. Craig Thomas, Country Manager for Thailand and Mekong region. Together with his exceptional local Thai team, they have escalated Etihad Airways to one of the leading airlines for Thai’s as well as expatriates in Thailand, while assuring that all guests travelling with Etihad will find new levels of comfort and luxury services during the entire journey.
Currently the airline operates two daily flights from Bangkok to its home base in Abu Dhabi and further on to other destinations in its expanding network via one of youngest and most environmentally-efficient fleets in the world.
For more information as well as pictures, please contact:
Parisa Chayakula/Maetavarin Maneekulpan
Total Quality PR (Thailand) Co., Ltd
Tel. 02 260 5820 ext.113/ 115 Fax 02 260 5847 — 8 E-mail:
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