Etihad Airways had one of the busiest travel periods in the airline’s history with more than 290,000 passengers flying during Eid-Al-Fitr, the festival marking the end of Ramadan fasting.
The airline’s numbers represent a 12 percent increase over the more than 260,000 guests who flew in the same five-day period last year.
The additional demand prompted Etihad to operate 83 more flights out of the airline’s hub at Abu Dhabi International Airport than during Eid-Al-Fitr in 2014.
To meet the anticipated demands that the peak summer months bring, Etihad Airways and its airport partners implemented a number of initiatives to help manage the hectic flight schedule.
The flight schedule was amended to improve connections while complimentary coach and bus services were running full time to manage the passenger load. Additional baggage allowances and Etihad Guest miles were given for early and off-peak check-in.
Richard Hill, Etihad Airways’ chief operations officer, said the airline was glad to manage record-breaking numbers, which can pose a challenge for any airline.
“Managing such significant traffic volumes in such a short period was the result of major advance planning and involved hundreds of Etihad Airways’ staff working around the clock to support the operation in Abu Dhabi and around the world,” Hill said.
The airport and airline also deployed 100 extra ground staff to meet guest needs. The extra staff members were temporarily recruited from across the organization to assist guests at check-in and boarding gates. Cabin crews also offered Iftar and Eid-Al-Fitr refreshments to passengers waiting at check-in, security and immigration.
