The CEO of Etihad Airways, Antonoaldo Neves, affirmed that the airline will continue its expansion plans in the new year of 2024 by expanding its network of destinations, providing more options for travelers, and increasing the number of flights to key international markets through its global network. The aim is to enter a new phase of sustainable growth with a robust strategic plan.
He anticipated an increase in the airline’s passenger numbers, expecting them to return to the levels of around 18 million passengers in 2017 by the year 2025. Neves pointed out that before the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019, the airline carried 17 million passengers.
Neves stated in a statement to the Emirates News Agency (WAM) that Etihad Airways will launch new destinations during the current year, including Boston, which will be its fourth station in the United States, operating four flights weekly starting from March 31. Additionally, it will commence flights to the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, from May 1.
He added that the airline has added two new destinations in the Indian subcontinent as of January, namely Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram in the Kerala region of India. This brings the total number of destinations served by the airline in India to 10. Etihad also plans to increase the number of flights to destinations such as Cairo with a weekly total of 21 flights, Colombo with seven flights, Islamabad with 14 flights, and the Maldives with 14 flights.
Neves emphasized that Etihad Airways is in a better financial position than in 2017, witnessing a 30% growth in passenger numbers last year compared to 2022. He mentioned that the company has developed a long-term plan to reach 30 million passengers annually, which is three times the number of passengers in 2022.