Dubai International leads airport connectivity index in ME, Asia-Pacific: report

Dubai International has claimed the top spot in total airport connectivity rankings for 2022 in the Middle East and Asia-Pacific regions, according to the latest Airport Connectivity Report, released by the Airports Council International (ACI) Asia-Pacific and Middle East.

Dubai headed the rankings with Doha, Tokyo and Singapore following next.

The ACI report developed in collaboration with PwC measures passengers’ ability to access the global air transport network, covering both direct and indirect routes, and considering the quality of service of each connection,  including destination choice, service frequency, onward connectivity and price.

Airports Council International (ACI) Asia-Pacific and Middle East  announced the findings of the report at the recent debut of its Middle East office in Riyadh.

Key findings

The ACI report found that the aviation sector in the Middle East crossed pre-pandemic highs, reporting a 26 per cent growth in total air connectivity in 2022.

The sector generated $260bn (9.5 per cent of the GDP) over this period, while employing 4.6 million people. In the Asia-Pacific region, it contributed $1tn (3.3 per cent of GDP), employing 56 million people.

Key drivers of this growth included low-cost carriers in the Middle East and a rise in middle-sized airports such as Riyadh’s King Khalid International and Doha’s Hamad International Airport, which continued its growth in passenger traffic with a 33.5 per cent increase in passenger traffic and 18.1 per cent increase in aircraft movements from the same period in 2022.

Performance highlights

According to the report, the cost of travel (based on airfares) from the airports surveyed had increased by nearly 50 per cent across the Middle East and Asia-Pacific.

Sixty-nine of the 100 airports surveyed saw a drop in airfare affordability, which also linked to the airports’ decrease in available flights, routes and seat capacities.

As measured by average airfare in relation to per-capita income, air transport became 34 per cent less affordable across the two regions.

The Asia-Pacific region also saw a decline in air connectivity by 38 per cent in 2022, caused due to factors such as extended travel restrictions due to Covid-19, limitations on air traffic rights, costly airfares, and economic and geopolitical challenges.

Strong outlook for 2023

According to ACI, early findings for 2023 also reflect that Dubai is leading the rankings, with Doha maintaining its second ranking and South Korea’s Incheon Airport ousting Tokyo’s Haneda Airport.

Read: DXB passenger traffic surges 49.1% in H1’23; surpasses pre-pandemic levels

Also read: Abu Dhabi International Airport passenger traffic rises 67% in H1 2023

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