Etihad Airways delivered another year of sustained growth in 2016, helped by new aircraft, additional frequencies and the introduction of further world-class products.

The airline carried 18.5 million guests during the year, up 6% on 2015. The airline was also part of the evolution of Etihad Aviation Group, a wider aviation and tourism business which now also includes Etihad Airways Engineering, Airline Equity Partners, Etihad Airport Services and Hala Group.

The formation of Etihad Aviation Group was announced in May 2016. During the year, Etihad Airways operated more than 109,000 scheduled passenger and cargo flights spanning around 446 million kilometres and 112 destinations.

Capacity grew by 9% and passenger traffic rose by 8%. The average load factor held steady at 79%. Etihad Airways’ fleet of 119 aircraft is one of the youngest and most environmentally-friendly in the industry, with an average age of six years.

During the year, the airline took delivery of 10 aircraft: three Airbus A380s, five Boeing 787s and two Boeing 777-200 cargo freighters. An additional 12 aircraft are set for delivery in 2017, including nine Boeing 787s, two Airbus A380s and one A330-200 freighter.