(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Abu Dhabi Airports, the operator of five airports in the emirate, recorded a more than 35 per cent surge in passenger traffic at 6.9 million passengers in the first three months of this year compared to the same period in 2023 when the figures were 5.1 million.

Buoyed by strong global demand for passenger and commercial services, the first quarter of 2024 witnessed a positive upswing in flight movements, with 61,737 movements recorded, representing an 11.4 per cent increase compared to the same period in 2023.

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During this period, the Zayed International Airport (AUH) alone welcomed over 6.8 million passengers. The newly launched terminal witnessed significant jumps of 26.6 per cent in traffic movements and 36 per cent in passenger traffic.

In the first quarter of this year, AUH expanded its airline database with the return of Turkmenistan Airlines and the launch of Hainan Airlines operating to Haikou, China, bringing the total number of regular scheduled operators to 29 airlines.

Top 5 destinations

London maintained its status as the top destination city with nearly 290,000 passengers travelling to and from the UK capital, while the top five destinations also included Mumbai (240,681), Kochi (206,139), Delhi (203,395), and Doha (184,317).

Elena Sorlini, managing director and CEO at Abu Dhabi Airports, said the figures demonstrate the continued success of the airports in attracting a growing number of airlines and passengers from around the world.

“Abu Dhabi Airports remains committed to investing in its facilities and services to enhance the passenger experience and wider value proposition to satisfy our existing airline partners and our common customers as well as attract new ones. With these strong Q1 results, the airport group is well-positioned for further growth and success in the future.”

Also, cargo traffic registered significant expansion in the first quarter with 162,000 tonnes of air freight handled across all airports at a 25.6 per cent increase compared to the same period in 2023, when the figure stood at 129,000 tonnes. The figures highlight Abu Dhabi's role in facilitating global trade and commerce, driven by increased shipments of general cargo and specialised products, including express deliveries, temperature-controlled, and pharmaceuticals.

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