Etihad
Airways has unveiled a 12-year plan that sets a
target of carrying 25 million passengers a year
by 2020 aboard a fleet of 150 aircraft.
The strategic plan was announced by CEO James
Hogan during a visit to New York. He told the
American media the airline planned to double the
number of cities it served from 50 to 100.
"Etihad already has a substantial business and
we recently signalled our intentions for the
future by placing one of the largest commercial
aircraft orders," he said. "Our projections for
2020 reflect that order and the scale of our
ambitions, closely aligned to the growth of Abu
Dhabi as an economic and tourism powerhouse."
He said Etihad's workforce could grow from the
current 6,600 to 27,000 by 2020, with most jobs
based in Abu Dhabi. Etihad ordered 100 Airbus
and Boeing aircraft worth a total of $23 billion
(Dh84bn) at list prices during the Farnborough
Airshow. Deliveries will start in 2011 and will
be completed in 2017. The order includes 20
A320s, 25 A360s, 10 A380s, 35 B787s and 10
B777s.
Etihad spokesman Leo Seaton told Emirates
Business that the first deliveries of A320s and
B777s would be made in 2011. The A380
super-jumbos will start to arrive in 2012, the
B787s in 2015 and the A360s in 2017.
"Currently the airline has a 38-aircraft fleet,
which will be increased to 42 by the end of this
year and to approximately 150 by 2020," he
added. "The current destination network of the
airline is 48, which will be increased to 50 by
the end of the year and to 100 by 2020."
He said the airline would launch its services to
Melbourne, Australia, and Abuja and Lagos in
Nigeria next year. The airline recently released
figures which showed it had enjoyed its busiest
summer period in its four-year history with a
total of more than 1.6 million passengers flying
during June, July and August.
The record performance during the summer months,
the airline said, was underlined further on
August 1 when 20,721 passengers flew with Etihad
– making it the airline's busiest day.
Etihad flights operated at an average of 83 per
cent full during the summer, an increase of 46
per cent on the same period in 2007.
Etihad has so far carried more than four million
passengers in 2008.
Etihad
Airways has unveiled a 12-year plan that sets a
target of carrying 25 million passengers a year
by 2020 aboard a fleet of 150 aircraft.
