Abu Dhabi airport posts 12% rise in passengers

Abu Dhabi: The Abu Dhabi International Airport (ADIA) recorded a 12 per cent increase in passenger traffic in 2010 compared to the year before, according to a statement released by the Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC) yesterday.

Nearly 11 million passengers passed through ADIA last year, the statement said. Aircraft movements also jumped 10 per cent over 2009 to 112,000.

Air cargo grew 16 per cent in 2010 to 438,000 tonnes handled.

John Siddharth C.P., an industry analyst with Forst & Sullivan, told Gulf News that two main drivers for the increase are the region's growth as a global business hub and increased tourism.

"The UAE is one of the key business centres in this region. The aircraft movement in the UAE reached its highest levels in 2010," Siddharth said. "The increase in flight movements exhibits its strong economic and business dominance," Siddharth added. He said the double-digit passenger growth is expected to continue at about 13 per cent for the next 10 years.

ADAC has invested heavily in attracting new airlines and encouraging existing airlines to expand their services to Abu Dhabi through new routes and increased frequencies.

In 2010, ADIA welcomed five more international airlines.

It also added six new destinations and serviced an average of 41 additional frequencies by its existing airlines — a 13 per cent increase in the total weekly outbound flights compared with the previous year, the statement said.

"2010 witnessed strong traffic development at Abu Dhabi International Airport, well above the world airports average growth.

"Our developmental strategy, combined with Abu Dhabi's increasing awareness as an attractive business and tourist destination, led us again to a very positive end of year outcome," said James E. Bennett, CEO of ADAC.

"We would like to express our warmest appreciation to all our partners for their contribution to one more year of dynamic growth and smooth operation for Abu Dhabi Airport."

According to a Frost & Sullivan outlook report on the industry for 2011, the operators out of Middle East are "on a procurement spree to cater to the increase in passenger traffic in the Middle East."