Air traffic movements up 4.8% in August

As tourism traffic in the UAE gradually gains momentum after a slowdown in air travel due to the Middle East political unrest, air traffic movements in the UAE increased 4.8 per cent in August compared with the same month last year, totalling 56,100 for an average of 1,810 air traffic movements per day, the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) said yesterday in its monthly report. It revealed that Dubai ranked first with 24,934 movements, and that overflights followed next at 12,959 movements. Abu Dhabi, meanwhile, ranked third with 8,443 movements. According to the report, air traffic movements in Sharjah International Airport ranked fourth with 5,124. And local flights between UAE airports were in fifth position with 3,516. DWC-Al Maktoum International Airport witnessed 406 movements, Fujairah International Airport witnessed 328, while Ras Al Khaimah International Airport had 223 and Al Ain Airport had 167, according to the GCAA report. As for licensing, the UAE aviation body said it issued 240 new crew licences, renewed 289 licences and conducted 18 crew examinations. The GCAA report added one new licence was issued while 24 licences were renewed for air traffic controller transactions. "As far as air safety is concerned, the GCAA renewed two Air Operator Certificates [AOC], completed 34 licensing transactions for aircraft maintenance companies," GCAA said in a statement.