Etihad Airways travel tips

Etihad Airways, Abu Dhabi’s state carrier, on Tuesday signed an agreement with technology firm Astra Tech that allows customers to make flight bookings using artificial intelligence within chat app Botim, Astra Tech said.

A revival in domestic air travel to nearly pre-pandemic level propelled India to the big leagues of major aviation markets, according to the trade body, the International Air Transport Association’s latest market analysis report. Domestic travel in India missed the pre-Covid level by 2.2 percent in February 2023 in terms of passenger revenue kilometers, the study said. The country also emerged as the top domestic market in terms of passenger load factor — which studies how efficiently an airline fills seats and generates revenue — when compared to countries such as the U.S., China and Japan, the report said. India recorded passenger load factors of 81.6 percent in February, 85.2 percent in January, 88.9 percent in December 2022, and 87.9 percent in November 2022. Domestic air passenger traffic for all markets measured for February surged 25.2 percent over the year-ago period. Besides aircraft manufacturers, international airlines too are eyeing the growth potential of the Indian aviation market. Just last week, Hungary budget carrier Wizz Air’s CEO Jozsef Varadi said India is a growing opportunity. Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways is another airline that is planning to expand its capacity in the country, as it looks to drive 20 percent growth from India in the next year, the airline’s CEO Antonoaldo Neves said during his recent visit to the country.

Domestic flight searches in India have increased by around 32 percent and international searches by 24 percent for the monsoon season between June and August, according to Kayak’s latest insights. The increased travel interest comes despite a surge in airfares, up an average 8 percent and 11 percent for domestic and international airfares. The average return economy flight price domestically stands at $130 while the average return economy international flight is priced at $985, the report said. 

Once a hotbed of regional conflicts, the Middle East has steadily evolved. There’s more cooperation among countries and the business environment is more conducive to growth. The aviation industry has become a core contributor to local economies: It provides jobs and has drawn tourists and business to the region.

Etihad Airways has released a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the filming of its skydiving orchestra.

Flying to the United Arab Emirates from the United States just got easier.  Etihad Airways, one of the national airlines of the UAE, just announced new service between Boston and Abu Dhabi, beginning on March 31, 2024.