UAE Airports Record 71.75 Million Passenger Traffic, Marking 14.2% Surge In H1 2024

Airports in the UAE experienced a boost in passenger traffic during the first half of 2024, with a remarkable increase of 14.2 percent. In the same period, the airports welcomed more than 71.75 million passengers, up from 62.79 million in the same period last year.

Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, Director-General of the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), credited the growth in the aviation sector to the UAE leadership's long-term vision and wise guidance.

He also highlighted ongoing investments in infrastructure, improvements in regulations, and the push for digital transformation in civil aviation as key factors driving the growth in the aviation sector. Al Suwaidi said that the strong performance and global reputation of UAE airlines are evident in the growth numbers.

"We are optimistic about the future, and the country is taking planned steps to further expand and grow in this vital sector," he was quoted as saying by WAM.

"We are committed to ensuring the highest levels of safety and security, adopting new technologies to enhance the passenger experience, and establishing the country as a key hub for air transport in the region and a major player in the global aviation network," he added.

Al Suwaidi further stated that the GCAA is working with federal and local partners, along with national airlines, to strengthen air transport ties with current markets and find opportunities to enter new ones.

GCAA has successfully signed air transport agreements with over 90% of the world's countries and is committed to furthering development and expansion plans to enhance the UAE's global competitiveness in civil aviation, as per Al Suwaidi.

In the first half of the year, UAE airports saw 20,274,694 passenger arrivals, 21,090,750 departures, and 30,391,978 transit passengers.

During the first half of the year, air cargo traffic reached 2,162,786 tonnes, including 528,430 tonnes of imports, 245,217 tonnes of exports, and 1,389,136 tonnes of transit cargo. National carriers handled 68% of the total air cargo.

Overall, there were 499,789 air traffic movements in the first half of the year, marking an 11.8% increase compared to the same period last year. February saw the highest growth in air traffic, with a 15% increase compared to February of the previous year.

Flydubai airline recently announced new direct flights to two destinations in Iran. It said that from Sept. 7, there will be four flights a week to Kish Island, and from Sept. 9, there will be two flights a week to Kerman.