Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has published its preliminary traffic statistics for January 2024. The carrier welcomed more than 1.4 million guests onboard and saw its load factor average out at 86.04 per cent across the month.

“In January 2024 we saw a 35 per cent year-on-year growth in customer numbers and were flying to five more destinations than the same period in 2023, making us one of the fastest-growing airlines in the world,” said Antonoaldo Neves, CEO of Etihad Airways.

“We are meeting customer demand by adding more flights to key destinations, and Etihad is now offering almost 27 per cent more weekly departures for Summer 24 compared to last summer.

“We began the year by launching daily flights from Abu Dhabi (AUH) to Kozhikode (CCJ) and Thiruvananthapuram (TRV) in the Kerala region of India taking our total number of Indian gateways to 10.

“We are proud to have welcomed 1.4 million guests to our new home, Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport, and we eagerly anticipate introducing more of the world to both the new airport and the onboard Etihad experience throughout 2024, as our network and frequencies continue to expand.”

Etihad Airways and Air Serbia have recently entered into a strategic bilateral codeshare, aimed at enhancing connectivity for customers of both airlines across a range of destinations. Under this partnership, Etihad’s customers gain convenient access to 12 Southeast European destinations through Air Serbia’s Belgrade hub, with nine destinations being new to Etihad’s extended network.

The codeshare arrangement simplifies the travel experience for guests, allowing them to make a single booking and undergo a seamless check-in process, along with the added convenience of having their baggage effortlessly transferred to their final destination.

Air Serbia’s network becomes easily accessible to Etihad’s customers, who can connect to it from Etihad’s gateways in Athens, Milan, Rome, and Vienna.

Jurriaan Stelder, VP Alliances and Industry Affairs at Etihad, said, “This partnership further expands our codeshare network and provides our guests with convenient access to 12 of Air Serbia’s leisure and business destinations, including Belgrade, Bucharest, Budapest, Thessaloniki, Tirana, Skopje and Sofia.

“We also look forward to warmly welcoming Air Serbia customers travelling from Europe to Abu Dhabi, where they will have the opportunity to explore the inviting hospitality and rich culture of our home, including the stunning beaches, world-class cultural landmarks and theme parks, and the serene desert landscapes,” Stelder added.