Key facts
- Etihad Airways CEO Antonoaldo Neves reported passenger capacity is 15% to 17% higher year-on-year.
- The airline's load factor reached 92% in August.
- Etihad expects to break even this year, reversing previous loss forecasts.
- The airline added 15% capacity in July and achieved a profit in August.
- Revenue is expected to be flat this year compared to 2025 due to airspace closures.
Abu Dhabi's Etihad Airways is experiencing strong passenger demand and operating above year-earlier capacity levels, according to CEO Antonoaldo Neves. The airline expects to break even this year, reversing earlier loss forecasts, and is targeting an 87% plus load factor for the remainder of the year.
Neves stated that current Available Seat Kilometres (ASKs), a measure of passenger-carrying capacity, are 15% to 17% higher than a year ago. He described the flights as "full, full, full," with the load factor reaching 92% in August. The airline added 15% capacity in July year-on-year and recorded a profit in August, while holding air fares at the same rate as last year despite an increase in jet fuel prices.
The Iran war had previously affected travel earlier this year, pushing fuel prices higher and disrupting flights in the Middle East and beyond. Middle Eastern carriers have seen their networks upended by the conflict but have gradually resumed their activity. Etihad had previously posted a record annual profit after tax of Dh2.6 billion ($707.9 million) in 2025. In June, Neves had indicated the airline was unlikely to make a profit or might break even depending on the second half of the year.