Etihad announces growth in passenger numbers

Etihad Airways has announced its most successful ever third quarter.

Travellers on flights to Dubai or other locations could be among those who have helped Etihad Airways to see one of its most successful times to date.

The airline has announced that during the third quarter of 2011 it saw its revenues rise by 39 per cent to a value of $1.1 billion (£713 million).

A rise in passenger numbers helped it to reach this figure, with an 18 per cent increase bringing the number of travellers in the three-month period up to 2.25 million.

This is up on the 1.9 million people who travelled with the airline during the third quarter of 2010.

“Despite the continuing challenges of high fuel prices and economic downturn in many of the markets in which Etihad operates, we are seeing strong growth in all our key commercial indicators,” said the airline’s chief executive officer James Hogan.

People heading out on flights to Dubai could also be helping boost the passenger numbers of the international airport, which saw four million travellers during August.

Written by Nicholas Scott