Abu Dhabi: Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has released its traffic statistics for October 2024, highlighting continued strong performance. The airline welcomed 1.6 million guests during the month, achieving a notable average passenger load factor of 87%. According to Emirates News Agency, Antonoaldo Neves, CEO of Etihad Airways, stated that their passenger numbers in October saw significant growth compared to the same period last year, underlining the airline's continuing upwards momentum. Year-to-date, Etihad has welcomed more than 15 million passengers, marking a substantial 34% increase from the previous year. As of October 2024, the airline's rolling 12-month passenger total stands at 17.8 million, a 73% increase on the figure for the whole of 2022, indicating they are on track to double passenger numbers in under two years. Neves further highlighted that Etihad's capacity continues to grow, maintaining a robust passenger load factor of 87% year-to-date. Additionally, the airline announced a new route to Al Alamein, Egypt, set to commence in Summer 2025. Abu Dhabi's reputation as a global aviation hub and a major destination for tourists from around the world is being bolstered by Etihad's fleet growth year-on-year, which supports their route expansion. This growth was further supported by the reintroduction of their fifth A380 in October.