Summer traffic buoys strong numbers at Abu Dhabi airport

ABU DHABI // Summer travellers passing through the capital are credited for a big increase in passenger traffic at the Abu Dhabi International Airport in July and contributed to equally impressive growth figures so far this year. Figures released by the Abu Dhabi Airports Company (Adac) show steady growth in passenger traffic, up by nearly 27 per cent in July compared to the same period last year.

The airport's growth rate for the year to date is also on the increase, with numbers up by 36.5 per cent, or more than five million arrivals, departures and transit passengers from January through July. Cargo also maintained steady growth in July, increasing by 15 per cent over the same month last year. "We expect July to be busy due to the seasonal travel period, but to increase [by] such numbers - by over a quarter for the month of July and by over a third for the year to date - is extremely healthy and demonstrates an increasing awareness and willingness for passengers to use the airport and indeed, [for] airlines to operate from here," said Rudy Vercelli, the chief executive of Adac.

The increase is a sharp contrast to an international growth trend of only about five per cent by 2011, according to the International Airport Transport Association. Last year, Abu Dhabi received 1.5 million tourists, and the Government is looking to boost that number to an estimated three million people a year by 2015. Abu Dhabi International Airport expects nine million passengers to pass through the facility by the end of this year. The airport recently began operations with five new carriers, including Jet Airways from India, Saudi Arabia's Nas Air, Nepal's Fly Yeti, Abu Dhabi-based Midex Airlines and Cargoitalia of Italy.

Similarly, Etihad, the national carrier of Abu Dhabi, boosted its weekly flights earlier this year to 728 for the summer, flying to more than 46 destinations around the world. It has also increased the frequency to key regional destinations. The Abu Dhabi airport foresees growth rates of more than 30 per cent per year, topping 20 million passengers by 2010. The complex is undergoing the first phase of a major expansion at a cost of US$68 billion (Dh250bn).

The first phase will bring the capacity of the airport to 50 million passengers a year once completed. This year the second runway will be operational, as will the Terminal 3 project, which is expected to boost passenger capacity to 12 million people, said Mr Vercelli. Also this year, construction is expected to begin on the new midfield terminal complex, which will eventually take the airport's capacity to 90 million. [e-mail]