Etihad Airways, the flag carrier of the United Arab Emirates, announced on Monday that its passenger‑carrying capacity has risen well above the level recorded a year earlier. Chief Executive Antonoaldo Neves told Reuters the airline’s Available Seat Kilometres (ASK), the industry’s standard measure of capacity, are currently 15 to 17 percent higher than in the same month last year.

Load factor reaches 92% in August

Neves highlighted that the airline’s load factor – the percentage of seats filled on each flight – was 92 percent in August. He added that Etihad is targeting a load factor of at least 87 percent for the remainder of the year, indicating that flights are consistently full.

Recovery from Iran war disruptions

The surge in capacity and demand comes after the Iran war earlier this year disrupted travel across the Middle East, pushed fuel prices higher, and forced many airlines to curtail routes. Etihad, along with other Gulf carriers, has gradually restored its network as the conflict’s impact eases.

Winter travel season outlook

Neves expressed confidence that the airline will continue to see strong demand heading into the winter travel season. “We are back on track,” he said, emphasizing that the airline’s operations are returning to pre‑conflict levels and that passengers are responding positively to the restored schedule.

Industry context

Etihad’s performance mirrors a broader rebound among major Middle Eastern airlines that have been working to rebuild their route structures and regain passenger confidence after the war‑related disruptions. The airline’s ability to maintain high load factors while expanding capacity suggests a resilient market and a favorable outlook for the region’s aviation sector.

Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.