Saudi Arabia’s private sector workforce rises above 11.4 million – official data

RIYADH: Official data shows that Abu Dhabi airports recorded some 22.4 million travellers in 2023, up 40% from the previous year, with passengers from the Indian subcontinent accounting for the largest number.

According to the Emirates News Agency, also known as WAM, a report by the Abu Dhabi Statistics Centre revealed that in 2023, the annual number of arrivals at the emirate’s airports stood at over 11.1 million, while the number of departures stood at 11.3 million.

The increase in these numbers coincides with a number of air transport agreements concluded by the country’s General Civil Aviation Authority, as well as improvements introduced in 2023.

It also highlights the significant achievements of the aviation sector in managing air traffic and ensuring the smooth and safe arrival and departure of all COP28 guests.

In terms of air traffic, Abu Dhabi Airports saw significant growth in 2023, with Zayed International Airport handling 141,225 flights, an increase of 27.8% compared to 110,536 flights in 2022.

Meanwhile, Al Ain International Airport recorded 8,409 flights last year, while in 2022 the number stood at 7,598.

The report also showed that the Indian subcontinent topped the list of arrivals at Abu Dhabi airports by country of origin, handling around 3.2 million travellers by the end of 2023.

Next in line were Western Europe with 1.9 million, Asia with 1.7 million, the Gulf Cooperation Council countries with around 1.6 million, and East Asia with 822,777 travellers.

The Indian subcontinent also led in the number of departures from the emirate’s airports last year, with some 3.5 million travellers. It was followed by South America with 1.9 million, Asia with 1.7 million and the Gulf Cooperation Council with 1.6 million.

At Al-Ain International Airport in 2023, a total of 51,067 passengers arrived and 43,945 departed, of which 1,763 had a transfer at the airport and 1,011 at Zayed International Airport.

In terms of freight traffic in the emirate, last year 319,993 tonnes of goods were imported, mainly from Asia (138,187 tonnes), while exports reached 238,644 tonnes, with the largest share coming from Western Europe (98,089 tonnes).

Meanwhile, in 2023, Al Ain International Airport handled 1,263 tonnes of exports and 501 tonnes of imports.

In December 2023, a senior civil aviation executive forecast that UAE airports would be able to handle 135 million passengers by 2024, a 4 percent increase from the previous year.

In an interview with local newspaper Emarat Al-Youm, Saif Al-Suwaidi, Director General of the General Civil Aviation Authority, pointed to positive indicators indicating an increase in the number of flights and destinations served by national carriers.

He also predicted economic growth in countries such as Canada, South Korea, the Philippines, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.