Abu Dhabi Airports anticipates over 22 million travellers in 2023

Image credit: WAM

Abu Dhabi Airports anticipates that its traveller numbers could hit 22 million by the end of this year.

Elena Sorlini, managing director and interim chief executive officer of Abu Dhabi Airports, revealed the projected traffic numbers during the the inaugural press round-table held at the new Terminal A building at Abu Dhabi International Airport.

The traffic numbers underscore the timeliness of the inauguration of a spanking new terminal at Abu Dhabi. Sorlini said “Terminal A solidifies the capital’s status as a global gateway and a strategic hub for tourism and trade.”

She added that the passenger numbers were based on end-of-year traveller projections on the solid performance indicators achieved by the airport in recent months.

Global events push passenger traffic

She added that winter is forecasted to see significant demand from travellers, coinciding with major events hosted by the country, such as the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and COP28 climate conference.

Around 2.29 million travellers are expected to arrive into the country in December.

The passenger numbers have witnessed a 49 per cent growth since the beginning of October compared to the same period last year (2022).

Sorlini highlighted that the current and upcoming winter seasons are expected to witness approximately 410 daily flights, compared to around 340 daily flights during last summer, representing an increase of over 20 per cent between the two seasons.

The new terminal has significantly increased the capacity which was designed for 45 million passengers annually, Sorlini stated, “With the opening of the new terminal, we are experiencing rapid growth and are working to achieve our target as soon as possible, especially with Etihad Airways’ plan to triple the number of passengers by 2030.”

Abu Dhabi the gateway to international destinations

Sorlini named the top five destinations for Abu Dhabi International Airport in terms of passenger numbers which are Mumbai, London, Kochi, Delhi, and Doha.

Meanwhile, the leading destinations in terms of ticket sales are Mumbai, London, Doha, Delhi, and Kochi.

The new Terminal A is capable of handling 79 planes at once and 11,000 passengers per hour. The increase in capacity allows for airlines to boost their presence in Abu Dhabi in response to growing demand.

With leading facilities, including biometric technology to streamline the screening and boarding process, 35,000 square metres of retail space and 163 outlets for passengers to shop, dine and enjoy, the new terminal will enhance the travel experience for all passengers, end to end, as well as travellers transferring to other destinations.

Also read: Etihad’s new premium lounges at Terminal A: Here’s what you can expect