Etihad Airways is keen to expand its network in the US, said President and Chief Executive Officer, James Hogan. Hogan disclosed that the US specifically is among the highest performing regions across the airline’s global network, with an average 81 per cent load factor in 2012. On existing routes, a significant portion of premium bookings are for travel to/from Abu Dhabi, with 72 per cent of First Class passengers and 53 per cent of Business Class passengers. To date, Etihad Airways has flown nearly 1.5 million passengers to and from the US since commencing services to New York in 2006 and Chicago in 2009. From Gulf Today