DUBAI,— Etihad Airways’ passenger capacity is 15% to 17% higher than a year ago, Chief Executive Antonoaldo Neves said Monday, as Gulf carriers recover from disruption caused by the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, which affected this year’s revenue, Reuters reported.

The Abu Dhabi-based airline’s available seat kilometers, the industry’s standard measure of passenger-carrying capacity, have risen by that range from a year earlier.

The figure was given as available seat kilometers, the industry’s standard measure of passenger-carrying capacity used by airlines in reporting capacity across the industry.

Neves said Etihad’s load factor, which measures how effectively an airline fills available seats, reached 92% in August. The airline is targeting a load factor above 87% for the rest of the year.

“We are back on track,” Neves said in an interview with Reuters.

The Iran war disrupted flights across the Middle East and beyond for weeks after it began at the end of February. Middle Eastern carriers, including some of the world’s largest, have gradually resumed their activity.

Etihad expects revenue this year to be flat compared with 2025 because of airspace closures in March and April. Profitability is expected to be almost zero.

Neves said trade disputes and visa restrictions were also disrupting travel patterns.

He said decisions by the U.S. and Canada on visas were affecting Etihad, citing lower traffic from India to Canada and the United States, including among students.

Neves said he was upbeat about the coming winter season, while noting that demand was shifting and more travelers were making late bookings. His comments echoed similar views from peer Emirates.

He also said Etihad was generating cash for fleet investment.

Earlier Monday, Etihad unveiled a new cabin design for first, business and economy classes on its existing Airbus A321 LR aircraft and its A330s. Neves said the A330s could be delivered in the middle of next year.

(With files from Reuters)

Copyright © 2026 Dubai Diplomacy. All rights reserved.

Your support matters! Consider buying us a coffee — every bit helps keep independent news alive.

Related posts:

Etihad Airways reports 22.4 million passengers in 2025 Emirates sees winter demand climb on some routes after summer bounce Etihad Airways expands Tel Aviv route with 42 weekly flights Etihad Rail’s first passenger train arrives in Abu Dhabi UAE completes 50% of Hormuz bypass oil pipeline ahead of 2027 launch: ADNOC Flydubai reports $531 million net profit in 2025 Some travelers paid $232,000 for flights to escape Gulf countries, amid Iran conflict Dubai restricts foreign flights until May 31, 2026, Indian carriers hit hard