Busiest summer yet for Etihad Airways

Etihad Airways enjoyed the busiest summer in its four-year history this year, carrying more than 1.6 million passengers between June and August.

August 1st was the busiest day of all for the Abu Dhabi-based carrier, with a record 20,721 travellers using its services.

Etihad's summer flights operated at an average of 83 per cent capacity, an improvement of 46 per cent on the previous year.

Airline chief executive James Hogan said: "The summer has been a great success with more than 1.6 million passengers flying with Etihad Airways.

"Whilst June, July and August are traditionally the busiest months of the year for most airlines, the record number of passengers who flew with us underlines the considerable impact Etihad is having on the aviation industry."

The United Arab Emirates' national carrier has flown more than four million passengers across its network of 48 destinations so far in 2008, placing it on target to carry six million customers by the end of the year.

Etihad's service to London Heathrow Airport was among its most successful this summer, with loads in excess of 91 per cent, while flights to Brussels, Dublin, Manchester and Paris all saw average seat factors of more than 80 per cent in the economy cabin.

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