Passenger traffic across Abu Dhabi's five airports exceeded annual forecasts and tripled in 2022 from the previous year, amid a broad recovery in leisure and business travel from the coronavirus pandemic.
A total of 15.9 million passengers used Abu Dhabi International, Al Ain International, Al Bateen Executive, Delma Island and Sir Bani Yas Island airports, up 202 per cent from the 5.26 million passengers in 2021, Abu Dhabi Airports said in a statement.
It said 2022 was “a remarkable year for Abu Dhabi in passenger traffic terms”.
“It illustrates the emirate’s vast potential as an attractive destination to visit, live and work in,” Jamal Al Dhaheri, managing director and chief executive of Abu Dhabi Airports, said.
The growth comes as Abu Dhabi International Airport attracted new airline customers last year. Meanwhile, its home carrier Etihad Airways launched new routes, boosted flight frequencies and resumed destinations suspended during the pandemic in response to a robust rebound in travel demand.
Middle Eastern airlines recorded a 157.4 per cent year-on-year rise in passenger traffic in 2022, according to the International Air Transport Association (Iata).
Capacity increased 73.8 per cent, while load factor climbed 24.6 percentage points to 75.8 per cent. Travel demand in December climbed 69.8 per cent compared to the same month in 2021.
Globally, airline passenger traffic in 2022 rose 64.4 per cent compared to 2021, Iata said. Last year's passenger volumes reached 68.5 per cent of 2019 levels. In December, total passenger traffic globally rose 39.7 per cent compared to December 2021 and reached 76.9 per cent of its December 2019 level.
A total of 4.78 million passengers travelled through Abu Dhabi's five hubs in the fourth quarter of 2022, nearly double the 2.43 million passengers in the same quarter of 2021.
The top five source markets were London, Mumbai, Delhi, Cairo and Kochi.
Abu Dhabi International Airport served more than 100 destinations and has a network of 28 airlines as of December 2022.
The state-owned airport operator expects the number of passengers through the five airports this year to surpass last year's total tally as the UAE hosts a number of major global events.
Abu Dhabi Airports did not provide a 2023 forecast for passenger numbers.
“Looking ahead, we are working towards readiness to accommodate even greater passenger traffic in 2023, which we anticipate, as higher numbers of international visitors come to the UAE for key events, including the coming Cop28,” Mr Al Dhaheri said.
Abu Dhabi will also host the UN Conference on Trade and Development's eighth World Investment Forum in October as the UAE capital continues to attract global business events. The emirate has also been added to the WTA Tour's annual calendar, which means a professional tennis tournament will be held in the capital every year.
In terms of air cargo, Abu Dhabi International Airport and Al Ain International Airport handled 583,949 tonnes of freight, the airport operator said, without providing comparative figures.
However, it said there was increase in shipments of both general cargo and specialised cargo such as express, temperature-controlled and pharmaceutical products.
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
The biog
Name: Maitha Qambar
Age: 24
Emirate: Abu Dhabi
Education: Master’s Degree
Favourite hobby: Reading
She says: “Everyone has a purpose in life and everyone learns from their experiences”
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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From Europe to the Middle East, economic success brings wealth - and lifestyle diseases
A rise in obesity figures and the need for more public spending is a familiar trend in the developing world as western lifestyles are adopted.
One in five deaths around the world is now caused by bad diet, with obesity the fastest growing global risk. A high body mass index is also the top cause of metabolic diseases relating to death and disability in Kuwait, Qatar and Oman – and second on the list in Bahrain.
In Britain, heart disease, lung cancer and Alzheimer’s remain among the leading causes of death, and people there are spending more time suffering from health problems.
The UK is expected to spend $421.4 billion on healthcare by 2040, up from $239.3 billion in 2014.
And development assistance for health is talking about the financial aid given to governments to support social, environmental development of developing countries.
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
When is VAR used?
• Goals
• Penalty decisions
• Direct red-card incidents
• Mistaken identity
If you go:
The flights: Etihad, Emirates, British Airways and Virgin all fly from the UAE to London from Dh2,700 return, including taxes
The tours: The Tour for Muggles usually runs several times a day, lasts about two-and-a-half hours and costs £14 (Dh67)
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is on now at the Palace Theatre. Tickets need booking significantly in advance
Entrance to the Harry Potter exhibition at the House of MinaLima is free
The hotel: The grand, 1909-built Strand Palace Hotel is in a handy location near the Theatre District and several of the key Harry Potter filming and inspiration sites. The family rooms are spacious, with sofa beds that can accommodate children, and wooden shutters that keep out the light at night. Rooms cost from £170 (Dh808).
