Abu Dhabi: In the first half of 2024, passenger traffic across Abu Dhabi's five airports surged by 33.5 per cent year-over-year, accommodating 13.9 million travellers.
The Emirate's main hub, Zayed International Airport (AUH), is home to UAE's flag carrier Etihad Airways. In the same period last year, the airport handled 13.7 million passengers, representing a 33.8 per cent increase.
The surge in passenger traffic was supported by a 24.3 per cent rise in flight movements, with 84,286 movements recorded during the first half of 2024 compared to 67,835 flights in H1 2023.
The robust growth in passenger numbers has been attributed to AD Airports expanding its customer base by welcoming two new airlines to Zayed International Airport in the second quarter: US Bangla, which has three weekly flights to Chittagong and four weekly flights to Dhaka, and British Airways, which serves London Heathrow daily.
Growing numbers
The airport operators' network of destinations also expanded through the addition of year-round services to Sarajevo (Wizzair Abu Dhabi), Chandigarh (IndiGo), Jaipur, Antalya, Bali, Gassim (Etihad), and Turbat (Pakistan International Airline), and seasonal flights to Trabzon (Air Arabia Abu Dhabi) and Nice, Mykonos, Santorini, and Malaga (Etihad), the operator said in a statement.
Elena Sorlini, Managing Director and CEO at AD Airports said, "Our traffic results for the first six months of this year are a testament to the tireless efforts of the entire team at Abu Dhabi Airports."
She explained, "We are incredibly proud of this achievement, which highlights the resilience of our teams, airline partners, and stakeholder community, as well as the robustness of our infrastructure during the peak operational season. We are enthusiastic about the future of Abu Dhabi's tourism and trade prospects and the pivotal role our airports will play in boosting tourism and trade."
UAE's flag carrier, Etihad Airways, announced in July that it had flown 8.7 million passengers from January to June, achieving 85 per cent load factor growth.
Last month, the airline carried 1.5 million guests and saw its passenger load factor average 8 per cent. Airline CEO Antonoaldo Neves said, "In June, our passenger numbers surged by 34 per cent from last year, demonstrating our continued growth momentum."
"Year to date, we have flown 8.7 million passengers, an increase of nearly 2.5 million, almost 40 per cent, compared to the previous year," Neves said. "And as of June 2024, our rolling 12-month passenger tally stands at 16.4 million," he added.
Cargo performance
AD Airports also handled 254,300 tonnes of cargo year-to-date. According to the operator, "Strategic partnerships and infrastructure enhancements have driven this achievement."
Key initiatives included a partnership with Astral Aviation and Etihad Airways to optimise cargo flows between Africa and the UAE. During the second quarter, a new DHL airside facility was inaugurated aimed at boosting capacity, and the design phase of the new East Midfield cargo terminal was finalised, supporting the goal of handling 1.5 million tonnes of cargo by 2030.
