Dubai: Last month's air traffic movement in the UAE jumped 11.3 per cent over the same period last year, recording 52,000 movements, signalling an improvement in air travel.
The General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) reported that Dubai ranked first with 23,824 air traffic movements, over flights stood next at 11,292 air traffic movements. Abu Dhabi ranked second with 7,815 air traffic movements, while air traffic movements in Sharjah International Airport ranked third with 5,352 movements.
Dubai International Airport continues to dominate the nation's airspace with its anchor carrier Emirates Airlines, leading the growth.
Local flights between UAE airports were in the fifth position with 3,098 movements. Fujairah International Airport witnessed 334 movements, while Al Ain Airport and Ras Al Khaimah International Airport had 218 and 102 air traffic movements respectively. The recently opened Al Maktoum International Airport witnessed four movements as cargo operations slowly ramp up.
Safety statistics
Within air safety, GCAA completed 17 transactions related to certificates for aircraft maintenance companies, eight transactions of aircraft registration certificates and 59 transactions of airworthiness certificates.
Further, GCAA conducted 44 inspections and audits at the local and non-local levels, issued two air operator certificates, completed nine aircraft modification transactions and issued 19 simulator certificates and 30 examination permits.
With regard to air transportation, GCAA signed in June air transport agreements and memoranda of understanding with the Republic of Rwanda and Barbados, signed a memorandum of understanding with Brazil, and held joint committee meetings to discuss enhanced cooperation in air transportation with Rwanda, Russia, India, UK, Mexico and Canada.
License renewals
New licences in aircraft maintenance engineers numbered 31, while the authority renewed 25 licenses, completed 282 type additions to licenses, issued one replacement license and 30 temporary permits, conducted 266 aircraft maintenance engineer examinations and issued 15 letters certifying aviation license details, thereby bringing the total number of aircraft maintenance engineers licensing transactions last month to 650.
In security and infrastructure operations, the authority conducted 21 inspections and audits and renewed four licences for companies operating in dangerous goods.
It also renewed one certificate for teaching a course on dangerous goods in training institutes.
