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UAE’s Etihad posts biggest annual profit yet | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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A file picture taken on October 14, 2012 shows the Etihad Airways headquarters in the Emirati capital Abu Dhabi. (AFP Photo/Karim Sahib)


A file picture taken on October 14, 2012 shows the Etihad Airways headquarters in the Emirati capital Abu Dhabi. (AFP Photo/Karim Sahib)

A file picture taken on October 14, 2012 shows the Etihad Airways headquarters in the Emirati capital Abu Dhabi. (AFP Photo/Karim Sahib)

Dubai, AP—Gulf-based carrier Etihad Airways posted on Monday its largest annual profit yet, with 62 million US dollars in net earnings last year.

The national carrier of the United Arab Emirates said profits were up 48 percent from 42 million dollars in 2012, and that revenue rose 27 percent to 6.1 billion dollars. Etihad’s revenues shot up 30 percent in cargo to almost 930 million dollars last year.

Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Airways James Hogan told The Associated Press in an interview that this year showed “the best results so far.”

Etihad, which was set up in 2003 and is based in the United Arab Emirates’ capital Abu Dhabi, is among the world’s fastest growing airlines. Along with its Gulf rivals—the Dubai-based Emirates and Qatar Airways—it is increasingly challenging older airlines in the battle for long-haul international passengers as it competes for routes and critical stopover traffic between Asia, Europe and the Americas.

The Gulf airliners’ spending power and success have spooked other airlines around the world.

Etihad alone announced 67 billion dollars in orders for up to 199 new aircraft in November. Included in that order were 56 wide-body Boeing aircraft with options and purchase rights for an additional 26. That deal was worth 25.2 billion dollars at list prices.

Australia’s Qantas Airways, a rival of a company part-owned by Etihad, last week posted a first-half loss of 211 million dollars and said it would cut 5,000 jobs. Qantas complains that its main competitor, Virgin Australia, has cheaper access to capital because of its state owners. Virgin Australia is 64 percent owned by three state-owned carriers: Air New Zealand, Etihad Airways and Singapore Airlines.

There are also concerns in the United States that Etihad’s expansions, along with other Gulf carriers, have taken business away from American airliners.

Some US pilot associations have criticized a new U.S. Customs preclearance facility that began operating in Abu Dhabi in late January, saying it only benefits Etihad. The facility lets passengers avoid immigration and customs lines on arrival by screening them ahead of their departure.

Etihad says it will be flying to five US destinations by the end of 2014.

Hogan defended Etihad’s aggressive expansion, saying that large purchases of Boeing aircraft have helped the US aviation industry.

“In a global business environment, business models continue to change and the more established carriers have traditionally worked their global alliances,” he said. “We have a different approach. That’s business. At the end of the day the customer will decide who wins, who loses.”

Etihad says its investments in other airlines and codeshare program were key to last year’s growth.

The airline has codeshares with 47 partners that allow passengers to fly on routes operated by multiple carriers on a single ticket.

Etihad also owns stakes in Air Berlin, Air Seychelles, Ireland’s Aer Lingus and India’s Jet Airways. Etihad Airways says it is waiting for regulatory approval for two more investments, a 49 percent stake in Serbia’s national carrier, Air Serbia, and a 33.3 percent shareholding in Darwin Airline, a regional carrier based in Switzerland.

Hogan said Etihad officials will decide in the coming weeks whether the airline will also take a stake in the struggling Italian carrier Alitalia.

He said investing in these airlines has helped Etihad enter markets and increase its presence worldwide.