Sharjah airport reports 8% growth in 9-months traffic
Sharjah Roughly 4.24 million passengers passed through Sharjah International Airport in the first three quarters of this year — an increase of eight per cent over the same period last year.
The number of flights rose to a record 45,022 from 44,086 flights in 2008, a statement said.
The volume of cargo handled at the airport reached 373,745 tonnes, with air cargo showing a slight increase to 35,646 tonnes.
Dr Ganem Al Hajri, director-general of Sharjah Airport Authority, said: "It is indeed heartening that Sharjah Airport continues to show growth, despite the impact of the international financial crisis on various spheres of industry, with the aviation industry being the most vulnerable. It is a reflection of our commitment to the users and our support during all times."
Special offers
Sharjah Airport's traffic growth is linked to the success of Air Arabia, which operates over 300 flights weekly from Sharjah to 46 destinations.
Most notable is Air Arabia's ability to attract a wide range of people through its special offers and promotions as well as extremely attractive fares.
Al Hajri put down Sharjah Airport's success to its strategy aimed at pulling in more carriers, and establishing connections to a variety of destinations.
"The level of service provided to the airlines, the efficiency and ease of operations, all at a very competitive price, keep many carriers interested in Sharjah International Airport," he added.
Moreover, it is expected that the airport will continue to achieve a stable rate of growth through to the end of this year, and continue with the trend in the forthcoming year, when the economy is expected to see positive gains thereby signalling the recovery of the industry.
The news comes following the fatal air crash that claimed six lives last month. This is the fifth air crash at the airport since 1961.
Ali Salem Al Midfa, director of Sharjah Airport Authority, said: "We are not complacent about our growth. We fully realise that we have to strive hard to maintain this. And one sure way to achieve this is through keeping customers happy.
"Sharjah Airport Authority is constantly measuring customer satisfaction on the services and facilities that are offered by the airport through a host of programmes, designed to receive feedback."
