Abu Dhabi passenger numbers up 15% in Q3

Abu Dhabi International Airport saw a 15 percent rise in passenger numbers in the third quarter of 2011 compared to the same period last year, its operator said on Wednesday. Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC) said 3.3 million passengers passed through the capital's airport during the period July to September surpassing the 1 million milestone for three consecutive months for the first time. The report also showed a total of 1,086,348 passengers passing through the airport in Septembe, an increase of 17.1 percent compared to the same month last year. The increase in last quarter's passenger traffic was mainly driven by Eid and summer holidays, Omra, the inauguration of new airlines and the frequency increases and new destinations, ADAC said in a statement. Cargo volumes recorded 10.8 percent increase in September, and a seven percent increase over the July-September period, driven by higher cargo activity by Etihad Airways. Ahmad Al Haddabi, chief operating officer at ADAC, said: "The passenger activity increases at Abu Dhabi international Airport are certainly a positive economic indicator for the UAE and the region. "It is especially encouraging that we are seeing sustained growth throughout the year." The report also showed a 13 percent increase in passenger traffic in the first nine months of 2011 compared with the same period last year, registering more than nine million passengers in total. Top five routes in the third quarter of 2011 included London, Bangkok, Doha, Jeddah, and Manila, ADAC said.