Etihad Airways has forecast a "positive" outlook for this year after narrowing its annual core operating loss by 72 per cent in 2021 in an "extraordinary turnaround" driven by record cargo revenue, cost-cutting measures and debt reduction, its chief executive said.
The airline reduced its core operating loss to $476 million in 2021, from $ 1.7 billion in 2020, ending the year with a surge in passenger traffic during the fourth quarter after Abu Dhabi eased pandemic-related travel restrictions, Etihad Airways said on Tuesday.
"It's been such a long time, given the pandemic where everything has been under a cloud of negativity," Tony Douglas, chief executive of Etihad Aviation Group, told The National.
"But we've got a set of results that aviation followers will conclude are a big surprise in a positive way and will be held out as an extraordinary turnaround.
"We pressed on with our transformation programme and … the numbers speak for themselves."
Etihad Airways has pushed ahead with a five-year restructuring programme that transformed it into a medium-sized airline as it reduced its fleet, network and workforce.
During the pandemic, the airline took further steps to reduce costs and preserve cashflow, which together with its transformation programme has placed it in better shape to deal with the global crisis, it said.
'Positive' outlook for 2022
Etihad is bullish about continued passenger demand growth this year and plans to expand its workforce to meet the anticipated market recovery.
"There's every reason to maintain a positive outlook," Mr Douglas said, given the lesser severity of the Omicron variant of coronavirus, higher consumer spending and continued easing of travel restrictions.
"We've got every confidence that 2022 will continue to build demand and ditto on cargo."
Variables such as the Russia-Ukraine conflict, potential new Covid-19 variants and higher oil prices that could affect the forecast, he said.
"That aside, I'm very optimistic that 2022 is going to play out really positively," Mr Douglas said.
"We took a brave pill and did some of the things we had to do earlier on, and as a result, 2022 will be another year of solid progress for us."
Etihad is seeking to hire about 1,000 cabin crew, catering and ground services staff during the year as the market rebounds, he said.
At the end of 2021, the total workforce stood at 12,533 employees. Staff salary reductions, which began in 2020 during the pandemic, ended in October, Etihad said.
The airline remains on track for its target to return to profitability in 2023 and this could happen earlier if the market continues to recover, or a "bit later" if it is hit by unexpected variables, Mr Douglas said.
Easing travel restrictions around the world will spur "a lot of latent demand" and revenge tourism, he said.
"Revenge tourism" is travellers taking longer and more expensive holidays to thumb their noses at lockdowns caused by the pandemic.
"We have a set of stellar results and I'd like to think we're better placed now than we've probably ever been as Etihad to take advantage of this … and to be financially sustainable from a profit point of view," Mr Douglas said.
"Some people would have thought, 'the pandemic will have knocked them off track on their transformation programme and delayed it by a few years', but it's quite the opposite.
"These results show that we've not only maintained momentum, we've built on it."
Record cargo revenue
Etihad's cargo revenue jumped 49 per cent year on year to $1.73bn in 2021, the highest in the airline's 18-year history, as it carried 27 per cent more freight volumes of 729,200 tonnes in 2021, amid a global rise in cargo yields.
"At a time when passenger numbers were coming down, that was a massive benefit, no question about it," Mr Douglas said.
"Certainly at the early stages during the pandemic, when there were no passengers, cargo was the only game in town and we could see logistics and air cargo rates go through the roof."
The airline's pharmaceutical shipments increased 85 per cent year on year in 2021 amid the global health crisis, while it ran 30 humanitarian aid initiatives carrying nearly 230,000 people, from minority groups to refugees, to communities hit by natural disasters.
Etihad used the more fuel-efficient Boeing 787 Dreamliners to operate cargo operations as freight rates climbed.
"We had a far more fuel-efficient aircraft operation that we got a mini-network going literally off the back of cargo," he said.
"And as passenger restrictions eased, we were able to almost build passengers back into a cargo network. Strategically, it gave us a bit of flexibility and cargo has definitely been a big win."
Mr Douglas said he was "bullish" about cargo yields remaining strong in 2022 and that there was "significant opportunity" in cargo operations.
In terms of yield and in terms of opportunity, I would anticipate 2022 to be another great year for cargo
Tony Douglas,
chief executive of Etihad Aviation Group
"In terms of yield and in terms of opportunity, I would anticipate 2022 to be another great year for cargo."
Five Boeing 777 passenger jets that Etihad temporarily converted for cargo flights are in the process of having passenger seats refitted as travel restrictions ease and more markets such as Manila and Jakarta reopen.
"We're looking to retain agility and flexibility as we see certain markets come back," Mr Douglas said. "Being a medium-sized carrier that's agile by nature, it's easier to adapt more quickly than if we had been the old Etihad."
Cargo order
In February, Etihad signed a letter of intent for seven Airbus A350 freighters amid a continued boom in air freight demand as as home-bound shoppers turn to e-commerce.
"We will look to convert [it] into contract by the middle of the year," Mr Douglas said. He said the letter of intent was a separate deal and not a swap of existing aircraft commitments.
We've gone for the Tesla of the cargo world, while a lot of the cargo world is still operating 1980s Ford pick-up trucks
Tony Douglas,
chief executive of Etihad Aviation Group
"We've gone for the Tesla of the cargo world, while a lot of the cargo world is still operating 1980s Ford pick-up trucks," Mr Douglas said.
He was comparing the new fuel-efficient A350 freighter with older models such as the Boeing 767 and 747 freighters.
"We are buying a ticket into the future when it's a reasonably safe bet that the 1980s Ford pick-up truck isn't going to play a part commercially."
Airbus A350 passenger jet debut
As travel restrictions and new coronavirus variants dampened demand, Etihad carried 3.46 million passengers last year, down from 4.15 million in 2020.
Average seat load factor — a measure of how well an airline is filling available seats — dropped to 39.6 per cent, down from 52.9 per cent in 2020.
But as Abu Dhabi began to relax mandatory quarantine requirements in September, its home airline's passenger revenues rebounded in the last quarter of the year, recovering to 50 per cent of 2019 levels in December.
Load factors in the first and second quarter were in the "mid-20s" but jumped into the 70s in the final quarter, Mr Douglas said.
Etihad is planning to debut first of its five A350-1000 passenger jets into service by the second quarter of 2022, with the remaining planes joining the fleet at a pace dependent on market conditions, Mr Douglas said.
"It's a world-beating proposition," he said.
Strongest balance sheet in a decade
Etihad reduced its outstanding debt by 20 per cent after issuing a $1.2bn sustainability-linked loan tied to environmental, social and governance (ESG) targets.
"That replaced extremely expensive previous debt, which had matured, with a sustainable product at a fraction of the rate," he said.
It reduced operating costs by $110m, despite a $197m increase in fuel costs driven by higher oil prices.
Fixed overhead costs and finance costs also fell by 14 per cent (or $110m) and 20 per cent (or $90m), respectively.
Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation, or Ebitda, improved by more than $1bn, swinging to positive territory of $408m from a negative Ebitda of $651m in 2020.
"We've now got the strongest balance sheet in over a decade," Mr Douglas said. "This was always part of the transformation programme … but this is probably the first time we've had numbers that are way ahead of expectations rather than on trajectory."
In 2021, Etihad's low-cost joint venture Air Arabia Abu Dhabi launched seven new destinations, expanding its network to 15 cities by year-end.
It launched year-round flights to Tel Aviv and Vienna and introduced seasonal routes to capture leisure summer and winter demand, including new services to Malaga, Mykonos and Santorini.
Etihad's passenger routes grew 28 per cent in 2021, from 50 up to a high of 64 during the summer peak, it said.
Total fleet comprised 67 aircraft, including five freighters and 39 Boeing 787-9 and 787-10s.
Etihad, which is aiming for net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 and is focused on sustainable air travel solutions, achieved a 5.6 per cent reduction in the emission intensity of its passenger fleet in 2021, it said.
The airline's sustainability programme, previously focused on its fleet of GEnX-powered Boeing aircraft under the "Greenliner Programme", was expanded in 2021 by a similar initiative focused on Rolls Royce XWB-powered A350s under a programme called "Sustainability50".
Both programmes are aimed at researching and developing new technology and methods of flying to help decarbonisation efforts and boost operational efficiencies.
Almost 30 per cent of the airline’s global supply chain is driven by UAE-based businesses, with Etihad growing its local spend through a programme called Al Watani to support the development and sustainability of local businesses.
_____________________
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
MATCH INFO
Norwich 0
Watford 2 (Deulofeu 2', Gray 52')
Red card: Christian Kabasele (WatforD)
ONCE UPON A TIME IN GAZA
Starring: Nader Abd Alhay, Majd Eid, Ramzi Maqdisi
Directors: Tarzan and Arab Nasser
Rating: 4.5/5
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
COMPANY%20PROFILE%3A
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The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Drivers’ championship standings after Singapore:
1. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes - 263
2. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari - 235
3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes - 212
4. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull - 162
5. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari - 138
6. Sergio Perez, Force India - 68
Company profile
Company name: Suraasa
Started: 2018
Founders: Rishabh Khanna, Ankit Khanna and Sahil Makker
Based: India, UAE and the UK
Industry: EdTech
Initial investment: More than $200,000 in seed funding
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
Results
Stage 4
1. Dylan Groenewegen (NED) Jumbo-Visma 04:16:13
2. Gaviria (COL) UAE Team Emirates
3. Pascal Ackermann (GER) Bora-Hansgrohe
4. Sam Bennett (IRL) Deceuninck-QuickStep
5. Caleb Ewan (AUS) Lotto Soudal
General Classification:
1. Adam Yates (GBR) Mitchelton-Scott 16:46:15
2. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates 0:01:07
3. Alexey Lutsenko (KAZ) Astana Pro Team 0:01:35
4. David Gaudu (FRA) Groupama-FDJ 0:01:40
5. Rafal Majka (POL) Bora-Hansgrohe
NBA FINALS SO FAR
(Toronto lead 3-2 in best-of-seven series)
Game 1 Raptors 118 Warriors 109
Game 2 Raptors 104 Warriors 109
Game 3 Warriors 109 Raptors 123
Game 4 Warriors 92 Raptors 105
Game 5 Raptors 105 Warriors 106
Game 6 Thursday, at Oakland
Game 7 Sunday, at Toronto (if needed)
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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United States
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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5
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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Saudi Arabia
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South Korea
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Dengue%20fever%20symptoms
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
The%C2%A0specs%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204-cylinder%202.0L%20TSI%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dual%20clutch%207-speed%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20320HP%20%2F%20235kW%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20400Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Efrom%20%2449%2C709%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
MATCH INFO
Final: England v South Africa, Saturday, 1pm
Chinese Grand Prix schedule (in UAE time)
Friday: First practice - 6am; Second practice - 10am
Saturday: Final practice - 7am; Qualifying - 10am
Sunday: Chinese Grand Prix - 10.10am
MATCH INFO
Everton 2 Southampton 1
Everton: Walcott (15'), Richarlison (31' )
Southampton: Ings (54')
Man of the match: Theo Walcott (Everton)
THE%20SPECS
%3Cp%3EEngine%3A%203-litre%20V6%20turbo%20(standard%20model%2C%20E-hybrid)%3B%204-litre%20V8%20biturbo%20(S)%0D%3Cbr%3EPower%3A%20350hp%20(standard)%3B%20463hp%20(E-hybrid)%3B%20467hp%20(S)%0D%3Cbr%3ETorque%3A%20500Nm%20(standard)%3B%20650Nm%20(E-hybrid)%3B%20600Nm%20(S)%0D%0D%3Cbr%3EPrice%3A%20From%20Dh368%2C500%0D%3Cbr%3EOn%20sale%3A%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
South Africa World Cup squad
South Africa: Faf du Plessis (c), Hashim Amla, Quinton de Kock (w), JP Duminy, Imran Tahir, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Dale Steyn, Rassie van der Dussen.
Global Fungi Facts
• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil
The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E3.6-litre%2C%20V6%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Eeight-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E285hp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E353Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDh159%2C900%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Enow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Seven%20Winters%20in%20Tehran
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SERIES SCHEDULE
First Test, Galle International Stadium
July 26-30
Second Test, Sinhalese Sports Club Ground
August 3-7
Third Test, Pallekele International Cricket Stadium
August 12-16
First ODI, Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium
August 20
Second ODI, Pallekele International Cricket Stadium
August 24
Third ODI, Pallekele International Cricket Stadium
August 27
Fourth ODI, R Premadasa Stadium
August 31
Fifth ODI, R Premadasa Stadium
September 3
T20, R Premadasa Stadium
September 6
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
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Profile Idealz
Company: Idealz
Founded: January 2018
Based: Dubai
Sector: E-commerce
Size: (employees): 22
Investors: Co-founders and Venture Partners (9 per cent)
57%20Seconds
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
Panipat
Director Ashutosh Gowariker
Produced Ashutosh Gowariker, Rohit Shelatkar, Reliance Entertainment
Cast Arjun Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt, Kriti Sanon, Mohnish Behl, Padmini Kolhapure, Zeenat Aman
Rating 3 /5 stars
The%20US%20Congress%20explained
%3Cp%3E-%20Congress%20is%20one%20of%20three%20branches%20of%20the%20US%20government%2C%20and%20the%20one%20that%20creates%20the%20nation's%20federal%20laws%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E-%20Congress%20is%20divided%20into%20two%20chambers%3A%20The%20House%20of%20Representatives%20and%20the%20Senate%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E-%C2%A0The%20House%20is%20made%20up%20of%20435%20members%20based%20on%20a%20state's%20population.%20House%20members%20are%20up%20for%20election%20every%20two%20years%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E-%20A%20bill%20must%20be%20approved%20by%20both%20the%20House%20and%20Senate%20before%20it%20goes%20to%20the%20president's%20desk%20for%20signature%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E-%20A%20political%20party%20needs%20218%20seats%20to%20be%20in%20control%20of%20the%20House%20of%20Representatives%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E-%20The%20Senate%20is%20comprised%20of%20100%20members%2C%20with%20each%20state%20receiving%20two%20senators.%20Senate%20members%20serve%20six-year%20terms%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E-%20A%20political%20party%20needs%2051%20seats%20to%20control%20the%20Senate.%20In%20the%20case%20of%20a%2050-50%20tie%2C%20the%20party%20of%20the%20president%20controls%20the%20Senate%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Pathaan
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Diriyah%20project%20at%20a%20glance
%3Cp%3E-%20Diriyah%E2%80%99s%201.9km%20King%20Salman%20Boulevard%2C%20a%20Parisian%20Champs-Elysees-inspired%20avenue%2C%20is%20scheduled%20for%20completion%20in%202028%0D%3Cbr%3E-%20The%20Royal%20Diriyah%20Opera%20House%20is%20expected%20to%20be%20completed%20in%20four%20years%0D%3Cbr%3E-%20Diriyah%E2%80%99s%20first%20of%2042%20hotels%2C%20the%20Bab%20Samhan%20hotel%2C%20will%20open%20in%20the%20first%20quarter%20of%202024%0D%3Cbr%3E-%20On%20completion%20in%202030%2C%20the%20Diriyah%20project%20is%20forecast%20to%20accommodate%20more%20than%20100%2C000%20people%0D%3Cbr%3E-%20The%20%2463.2%20billion%20Diriyah%20project%20will%20contribute%20%247.2%20billion%20to%20the%20kingdom%E2%80%99s%20GDP%0D%3Cbr%3E-%20It%20will%20create%20more%20than%20178%2C000%20jobs%20and%20aims%20to%20attract%20more%20than%2050%20million%20visits%20a%20year%0D%3Cbr%3E-%20About%202%2C000%20people%20work%20for%20the%20Diriyah%20Company%2C%20with%20more%20than%2086%20per%20cent%20being%20Saudi%20citizens%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
If you go...
Flying
There is no simple way to get to Punta Arenas from the UAE, with flights from Dubai and Abu Dhabi requiring at least two connections to reach this part of Patagonia. Flights start from about Dh6,250.
Touring
Chile Nativo offers the amended Los Dientes trek with expert guides and porters who are met in Puerto Williams on Isla Navarino. The trip starts and ends in Punta Arenas and lasts for six days in total. Prices start from Dh8,795.
