Abu Dhabi, UAE - Etihad Airways, the national carrier of the United Arab Emirates, has released its preliminary traffic figures for July 2024.

The airline welcomed 1.7 million passengers, achieving a robust average load factor of 89% for the month.

Etihad Airways' CEO, Antonoaldo Neves, said: 'Our passenger numbers in July surged by 33% compared to the same period last year, underscoring our continuing strong growth.

“Year-to-date, we have served 10.4 million passengers, up 2.8 million on the same period last year, and as of July 2024, our rolling 12-month passenger count now stands at 16.8 million.

“July's load factor of 89% reflects our successful performance during a peak summer period, amidst significant capacity expansion since 2023.

'Our fleet continues to grow, expanding to 93 aircraft from 78 in July 2023, and we now serve 10 more destinations than we did a year ago.”