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28 March 2024

Abu Dhabi Airport passenger traffic increases 10%

Abu Dhabi International Airport has seen double-digit growth despite the global economic slowdown. (EB FILE)

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By Staff

Abu Dhabi International Airport recorded a 10 per cent increase in passenger traffic in January 2009 over the same month last year.

The number of passengers using the airport in January rose to 811,530 from 737,870 a year ago.

Abu Dhabi International Airport also passed a milestone by handling more than nine million passengers in 2008, an airport record, exceeding conservative expectations over the previous two years with an unparalleled 30-plus percentile growth rate, said a statement.

Cargo handled by the airport increased by two per cent to 24,991 tonnes from 24,505 tonnes, it said.

Aircraft movements were also up 2.8 per cent. Figures for both cargo and aircraft movements showed a respective 11.2 and 11.7 per cent increase.

“We have said all along that even during buoyant market conditions growth rates such as we have seen [plus 30 per cent] over the past two years were not sustainable indefinitely, but we are pleased that, in light of the added challenge of the global economic slowdown, we remain an airport of choice and have continued to realise double-digit growth,” said Khalifa Al Mazrouei, Chairman and Managing Director of Abu Dhabi Airports Company (Adac).

The trailing 12 month figures, however, did point to growth rates that have been more familiar to Abu Dhabi International Airport over the past few years with a 27.8 per cent increase in traffic – 9.1 million passengers by the close of the month versus 7.1 million on January 31, 2008.

Adac also released data highlighting the top five most popular city destinations travelled to from Abu Dhabi in January – Doha, London, Cairo, Bangkok and Bahrain. These destinations accounted for 16.9 per cent of all traffic through Abu Dhabi Airport in January.

Adac is a public joint-stock company wholly owned by the Abu Dhabi Government.

In September 2006 Adac took over responsibility for the operation and management of Abu Dhabi and Al Ain international airports. In 2008, Adac added Al Bateen private jet airport and Sir Bani Yas Island Airport to its portfolio. These airports serve different segments of the marketplace and help contribute to Abu Dhabi’s development as a destination for business and leisure tourism.

Currently under way is the large scale Dh25 billion re-development and expansion of Abu Dhabi International Airport designed to increase the overall capacity of the airport to more than 20 million passengers per year.