May 4 - Etihad Airways hopes that passenger traffic will hit seven million this year as compared to 6.3 million in 2009, said Chief Executive Officer James Hogan yesterday. "As we approached the first quarter of 2010, passenger numbers grew by more than 11 per cent, with growth in our first class and business class. We witnessed success with our Abu Dhabi, London and Frankfurt lounges, and expect profitability in our upcoming lounges that will progressively roll out in Dublin and Manchester," he added.

Despite the recession last year, Etihad’s passenger traffic rose from six million to 6.3 million last year while revenues were more $3 billion. As for the future, said Hogan, the focus will be on maturing the brand, improving performance and expanding the network. The aim is to break even by 2011, he added.