Etihad Airways marks record increase in Eid traffic

(MENAFN- Arab News) Etihad Airways has experienced one of the busiest travel periods in the history of the airline with 291518 guests flying across its global network during Eid-Al-Fitr an increase of 12 percent on the 260641 guests flown in the same five-day period in 2014.
The load factor out of Abu Dhabi during this period rose from 82.1 percent in 2014 to 82.3 percent in 2015 with a network-wide seat factor of 78.3 percent. The airline operated 83 more flights out of the hub than during Eid-Al-Fitr in 2014.
In anticipation of the demands that the peak summer period brings Etihad Airways and its Abu Dhabi airport partners prepared and implemented a number of key initiatives at the hub to manage the busy flight schedule.
These initiatives included amending the flight schedule to improve connectivity the provision of complimentary coach and bus services additional baggage allowances and Etihad Guest miles for early and off-peak check-in as well as the deployment of 100 extra ground staff.
Etihad Airways' Chief Operations Officer Capt. Richard Hill said: 'We're pleased to have once again carried record numbers of guests and baggage across the Etihad Airways network during Eid-Al-Fitr one of the busiest and most challenging periods in the year."
He added: 'Managing such significant traffic volumes in such a short period was the result of major advance planning and involved hundreds of Etihad Airways' staff working around the clock to support the operation in Abu Dhabi and around the world.'
More than 100 additional Etihad Airways staff members were temporarily recruited from across the organization for assisting guests at check-in and at boarding gates. Cabin crew offered iftar and Eid-Al-Fitr refreshments to those at check-in security and immigration.
Among the special initiatives aimed at improving the guest experience was an off-peak check-in at Abu Dhabi airport.