The airline plans to increase the number of flights, how often they fly, and the places they go to take advantage of the growing number of passengers.
Abu Dhabi's Etihad Airways aims to hire up to 2,000 pilots, cabin crew, and mechanics in preparation for its expansion by 2025. CEO Antonoaldo Neves revealed plans to recruit 1,500 to 2,000 new employees this year to support the airline's growth.
"In 2025, we're adding 15 more planes. I'll need pilots, mechanics, and flight attendants for those planes. So, the second half of this year will focus on training for 2025,"
stated Etihad CEO Antonoaldo Neves.
Etihad plans to increase flights, frequencies, and destinations to take advantage of the growing passenger traffic. Last year, the airline's passenger load factor increased to 86%, up from 82% in 2022.
Etihad revealed its 2023 results on Wednesday, reporting a total revenue of Dh20.3 billion, a net profit of Dh525 million, and an operating result of Dh1.4 billion. The growth in passenger revenue contributed significantly to this performance, increasing by Dh4 billion compared to the previous year.
Lack of planes
Neves anticipates sustained passenger demand and aims to ensure timely delivery of new aircraft.
"I want more people to fly. To achieve that, we need more planes. The shortage of aircraft in the market is a concern, resulting in very high load factors. In March, within just six days, our load factors reached 92 percent. It's quite remarkable."
Neves remains positive about the prospect of tripling passenger numbers from 10 million in 2022 to over 30 million by 2030.
"Our journey ahead is promising. We're poised to triple the airline's size, aiming to serve about 30 to 33 million passengers in the next six years. In 2024, we project growth of 25 to 30 percent. With the necessary aircraft, there's no reason why we couldn't achieve 17 million passengers by 2024,"
emphasized the CEO.
40% Emirati pilots
Etihad is prioritizing the development of Emirati talents through specialized training programs, including cadet pilot and technical engineering training.
"We're deeply committed to Emiratisation. We provide comprehensive training for Emirati pilots from the ground up. Our programs also extend to engineers and mechanics,"
emphasized the CEO.
Neves aims to increase the number of Emirati pilots within the airline's ranks in the coming years.
"I envision at least one-third of our pilots to be Emiratis. They're exceptional pilots who proudly represent our nation worldwide. Our goal is to have 35 to 40 percent of our pilot force composed of Emiratis. With an annual intake of 300 pilots, we aim for 70 to 100 to be Emiratis. It's a challenging task, given the scarcity of pilots, but we're making significant progress,"
Neves highlighted.
News Source: Khaleej Times
