Gulf carriers record growth in premium classes passenger volumes

Gulf carriers witnessed exponential growth in premium class passenger volumes in 2015, according to the latest study by travel solutions provider, Amadeus.
The study says that between 2014 and 2015, first class passenger volumes for Emirates airline, Qatar Airways, and Etihad Airways, on the top 10 origins & destinations between Europe and Asia Pacific, increased by 67 per cent, whilst business class traffic increased by 47 per cent.
This staggering growth in premium classes was complemented by healthy overall growth, with a seven per cent increase in passenger volumes across all cabin classes for these routes. Airports in the Middle East also noticed a shift in traveller habits, with passenger traffic for flights between Europe and APAC going through Doha, Abu Dhabi, and Dubai increasing by eight per cent.
This data was analysed by Amadeus IT Group's Travel Intelligence team, and takes into account all bookings in the Amadeus system made via traditional and online travel agencies from across the globe. The figures come on the heels of Emirates and Etihad Airways both renewing their distribution agreements to sell their full range of fares to travellers worldwide through travel agents using Amadeus. Qatar Airways has had such an agreement in place since 2014.
"Travellers, especially premium passengers, want the freedom to shop for travel where they want and how they want. Airlines are responding to their customers' needs by making their comprehensive offering available consistently across sales channels. This helps build and nurture customer relationships and is very much in line with Emirates', Qatar Airways' and Etihad Airways' commitment to customer service excellence," says Gianni Pisanello, strategic marketing director of airline distribution at Amadeus.
While the Amadeus distribution channel supports airline growth by providing the technology for them to partner with the world's largest travel community, Amadeus Travel Intelligence enables airlines and other travel players to make effective use of data and analytics to improve the profitability of their business.
- abdulbasit@khaleejtimes.com