Etihad Airways remains "bullish" in 2010: CEO, James Hogan

Etihad Airways CEO, James Hogan, stated that while 2010 will be a "tough year", the carrier remains "bullish", as its expected yields are "where the carrier would like to see them" (Arabian Business, 17-Jan-2010). Mr Hogan added that while Business-class traffic will remain an "issue", Etihad has seen improvement on Business-class long-haul travel to Chicago, New York, Toronto and Melbourne. The carrier aims to achieve a load factor of 76-77% in 2010 and expects cargo to also perform "well this year" (Khaleej Times, 17-Jan-2010).

Etihad Airways: "It will be a tough year but we're bullish. Like any other business we'll have to focus on our cost but we're also growing as a business. The economy traffic we are pretty bullish about, we can see the sales, we can the forecast in yields at a level we like to see them. [But] the issue is the business traffic," James Hogan, CEO. Source: Arabian Business, 17-Jan-2010.

Etihad Airways: "I do expect airlines to increase their prices this year. It would be unfair for me to say the percentage, because every airline is in a different space. But I would expect the industry to move their pricing responsibly," James Hogan, CEO. Source: Emirates Business 24/7, 17-Jan-2010.