Etihad Airways, the national carrier of the United Arab Emirates, served a record number of passengers in 2011 - 8.3 million people, which is 17% more than a year earlier. The volume of transported goods amounted to 310 thousand tons.
The increase in the number of passengers in absolute figures amounted to 1.2 million people. They used the services of an airline that offers flights to 82 destinations around the world. Etihad Crystal Cargo’s cargo division also showed impressive growth and even set a record of 310 thousand tons of cargo handled, which is almost 47 thousand tons (18%) more than in 2010. “This result, achieved during a period of economic instability in the world and rising energy prices, speaks of strengthening our position in the international aviation arena,” said James Hogan, president and chief executive officer of Etihad Airways. “It also indicates a valid network expansion strategy.” flights, in the implementation of which we entered eight new directions last year. " We are talking about Indian Bangalore, the Maldives and Seychelles, Chinese Shanghai and Chengdu, as well as German Dusseldorf and African Tripoli and Nairobi.
Bangkok became the busiest flight destination: more than 500 thousand passengers used the airline's services on these flights. It is followed by London (479 thousand people), Manila (446 thousand) and Jeddah (289 thousand), which showed a staggering 48% increase in passenger traffic compared to 2010. The top 10 also included Sydney, Frankfurt, Paris, Manchester, Doha and Dublin. "The largest increase in cargo volumes was noted in Europe, with export markets in Germany and Italy that survived despite difficulties," Hogan explained. Last year, the airline’s cargo service became available in destinations such as Amsterdam, Cairo, Djibouti, Kabul and Kandahar.
In addition, cargo volumes increased in the key markets of India and China, and the number of flights increased to 3 times a week to Johannesburg. It should be noted that last year the airline introduced Fast-Track maintenance service, which allowed to reduce docking time and cargo delivery time. The expansion of the UAE cargo transportation plan and new services for the Gulf countries have increased the capabilities of the airline's customers.
Last year, the Etihad Crystal Cargo division presented to the public its first board of the Boeing 777F with a promise to replenish the fleet with two more such airliners in 2013. “We also delivered the most valuable goods, including 100 historical manuscripts from the Berlin State Library to the National Library of Australia in Canberra and live sturgeons for the Emirate Royal Caviar, a caviar producer. We will continue to promote trade in the United Arab Emirates and participate in the implementation of many projects, shows and events. We will also continue to carry out the humanitarian mission as part of the Care by Air initiative program, "said Hogan.
