Abu Dhabi airport handled 2.1m passengers in July

Abu Dhabi - Aircraft movements reached 15,059, representing a 14.2 per cent increase over the 13,188 movements reported in July 2014.

Abu Dhabi International Airport's passenger handling set a new record of 2.1 million passengers in July.
Not only did the total number of passengers traveling through the airport hit the two million mark for the first time ever, but the figure for the departing passengers alone also reach a record, with over a million travellers leaving from Abu Dhabi International Airport. A total of 2,100,929 passengers used the airport in July, compared with 1,703,995 in the same month of 2014, an increase of 23.3 per cent, taking the average daily number of passengers to over 60,000. Within these numbers, 1,113,108 passengers departed from Abu Dhabi International Airport in July, also the first time this has happened in a single month.
Aircraft movements reached 15,059, representing a 14.2 per cent increase over the 13,188 movements reported in July 2014.
Cargo activity was also on the rise in July 2015, recording 68,888 metric tonnes handled; a 2.1 per cent increase when compared to July 2014.
Etihad cargo which represents 91.5 per cent of the airport total cargo grew by three per cent. Commenting on the latest passenger figures, Engr. Ahmad Al Haddabi, chief operations officer at Abu Dhabi Airports, said that the rate at which passenger numbers are increasing year-on-year continues to follow an upward trend.
"The figures in July 2015 were boosted by Ramadan and the Eid Al Fitr holiday, as well as the summer holiday season," he said. Throughout the year, and in particular at these busy times, he said: "We aim to ensure that standards of service, safety and security, remain consistently high, helping us achieve our vision to become the world's leading airports group."
The Midfield Terminal Building, which is being built to meet this increasing growth, continues to progress, and as each day passes the project resembles more closely what it will look like once completed, the chief operating officer added. In July 2015, the top five routes from Abu Dhabi International Airport were London Heathrow, Bangkok, Doha, Manila, and Bombay, accounting for 16 per cent of all traffic.
- haseeb@khaleejtimes.com

• Abu Dhabi