Abu Dhabi airport traffic rises 16%

Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC) said its flagship gateway Abu Dhabi International Airport handled more than 1.1 million passengers in November — the fifth consecutive month that the airport has welcomed over one million passengers. Abu Dhabi International Airport saw a 16 per cent surge in passenger traffic in November compared to the same month last year. Cargo traffic also rose, with over 42,000 tonnes handled, a 7 per cent increase over the same period in 2010. Harib Al Hameli, the airport's Vice-President of Operations, said, "Last November was one of the busiest months for Abu Dhabi International Airport, particularly with the many activities surrounding the F1 [Formula One] season taking place around the capital, along with the Haj season, which drove passenger traffic to rise through the airport's diverse network. "We look forward to sustaining our dynamic growth, and to continue providing our passengers with award-winning customer service combined with a high level of efficient and safe operations." Doha, London Heathrow, Bangkok, Manila and Manama were the top five routes in November, accounting for 20 per cent of passenger traffic. Tony Tyler, Director General and CEO of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), recently said that the UAE is expecting 8.5 per cent average annual growth through 2015. ADAC is growing at double that rate. "If that materialises, in 2015 the Middle East and North African (Mena) region will handle 86.6 million international passengers — nearly 30 million more than in 2010. And it will be the eighth largest market for international travel — only slightly smaller than China at 90 million passengers and well ahead of Japan at 70 million. This will be an extraordinary achievement." IATA last month called for a renewed focus on cooperation among aviation stakeholders in the Mena region to manage the challenges of growth Meeting challenges "Aviation is a challenging industry, so let's work together, where we can, to meet the challenges of growth and make aviation even more successful. "This includes working with important partners like AACO [Arab Air Carriers Organisation], other regional associations and those who represent our partners in the value chain — including the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation and Airports Council International," said Tyler. ADAC is a public joint-stock company wholly owned by the Abu Dhabi Government, incorporated in March 2006, to spearhead the development of the emirate's aviation infrastructure. In September 2006, ADAC assumed responsibility for the operation and management of Abu Dhabi and Al Ain International Airports. In 2008, ADAC added Al Bateen Executive Airport (an exclusive private aviation airport), and Sir Bani Yas and Delma Island Airports to its portfolio. These airports are geared to serving the various segments of air travellers, the aviation marketplace, and will help contribute to Abu Dhabi's development as a destination for both business and leisure tourism. A multi-billion dollar re-development and expansion of Abu Dhabi International Airport is currently under way. It is designed to increase the capacity of the airport to more than 20 million passengers per year. As part of this redevelopment, a second runway and a third terminal have been completed.