Abu Dhabi remains on the up

DESPITE global slowdowns in the aviation industry in 2008, Abu Dhabi International Airport has continued to buck the trend as traffic figures for October and the first 10 months of the year, show year-to-date passenger growth continuing to grow strongly at 32.8 per cent.

Year-to-date figures for aircraft movements and cargo, fared better than the monthly rates registering 14.6 per cent and 14.3 per cent growth, respectively.

The ongoing network expansion of Etihad Airways, remains a key component in the growth of passenger and cargo figures through Abu Dhabi International with additional frequencies and destinations continuing to be added. Particularly strong growth (34.5 per cent), came from the airport’s largest passenger market, India, with route performance being driven strongly by the airline’s growing capacity to South Indian destinations.

In addition to Etihad, airlines that started their operations from Abu Dhabi International in 2008, such as India’s Jet Airways and Pakistan’s Air Blue, have also contributed to the growing capacity to and from the sub-continent.

“While we recognise that such high growth rates are not sustainable indefinitely and if we factor in the considerations surrounding an overall worldwide slowdown in traffic, we must be pleased with the sustained growth we are seeing and are optimistic that even with possible fluctuations in growth over the next 12 months, Abu Dhabi International Airport remains on course to meet the demands of its passengers now and into the future,” said Rudy Vercelli, chief executive officer of ADAC.

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