Khaleej Times, Wednesday, May 03, 2023 | Shawwal 13, 1444
UAE airports experience 56.3% growth in Q1 with 31.8 million passengers: GCAA
Emirates:
The number of passengers travelling through the country’s
airports during the first quarter of 2023 increased by 56.3 per cent compared to
the same period in 2022. This increase indicates the success of the aviation
sector in restoring pre-Covid-19 passenger traffic levels, according to Saif
Mohammed Al Suwaidi, Director-General of the General Civil Aviation Authority
(GCAA).
Al Suwaidi said that during Q1 2023, the number of passengers through the UAE’s
airports reached approximately 31,862,635, an increase of more than 11.48
million passengers from the same period in 2022, where about 20,381,324
passengers were recorded.
The GCAA Director-General emphasised that the UAE civil aviation sector has
managed to restore pre-pandemic passenger traffic levels. He explained that the
numbers recorded in the first quarter confirm global confidence in the country’s
civil aviation sector and its ability to recover and achieve growth.
Al Suwaidi also expressed his expectations for the continued growth of air
traffic in the UAE’s airports this year, thanks to the achievements of the
aviation sector. He highlighted the successes of the civil aviation sector in
the classification of three national low-cost carriers — Air Arabia, flydubai,
and Wizz Air — among the world’s top 20 safest low-cost airlines.
Al Suwaidi stated that the national airlines’ number of destinations reached
about 536, including joint destinations. He also mentioned that the UAE has
registered 894 Organisation/Operators (Professional use) and around 21,321
registered unmanned aircraft for leisure (hobby) with the GCAA by the end of Q1
2023.
The Director-General explained that the UAE had implemented a comprehensive
legislative and regulatory system to keep pace with the unmanned aircraft
sector, ensuring that these aircraft comply with technical specifications to
ensure safe use according to specified regulations and conditions.
Al Suwaidi highlighted the significance of registering and issuing the necessary
operational approvals for both hobbyists and commercial use in accordance with
the specified legislative frameworks.
He further added that the size of investments in the UAE’s civil aviation sector
was more than approximately one trillion dirhams, while the size of investments
in the development and expansion of airports reached AED85 billion to
accommodate over 300 million passengers annually.
He noted that the aviation sector in the country contributes about 14 per cent
of the gross domestic product, while in major countries, the aviation sector’s
contribution does not exceed 2 to 3 per cent. Moreover, the UAE owns
environmentally friendly aircraft and is one of the few countries that outlines
the future of the environment in the international civil aviation sector.