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Abu Dhabi is well on its
way to becoming a regional industrial center,
investing over $3 billion to develop its
petrochemical base and increase its upstream
gas handling capacity alone.
Abu Dhabi is also pushing to establish itself
as a leading transit center and tourist
destination, upgrading and expanding all
elements of its infrastructure and transport
facilities.
Abu Dhabi
International Airport is playing a key role
as the major entry point to the emirate;
passenger arrivals are increasing year by
year.
Khaled al
Mohairbi, Abu Dhabi International Airport's
director, says overall traffic through the
airport in 1998 reached 3.4 million, an
increase of 8 percent over 1997. This included
a 7 percent increase in departures, a 10
percent increase in arrivals and an 8 percent
increase in transit passengers.
Of the total,
33 percent were from the Middle East, 19
percent were from Gulf Cooperation Council
countries and 25 percent were from Asia,
including 13 percent from India. Another
11 percent of passengers were from Europe,
with a variety of other nationalities making
up the final 12 percent.
Mr. Mohairbi
says more than 40 airlines now operate from
the airport, linking it to more than 90
international airports. Over the past year
a number of new airlines were attracted
by the airport's strategic location and
first-class facilities. ''During 1998, we
signed agreements with two charter airlines,
Britannia and LTU, under which they will
utilize Abu Dhabi for their technical stopovers
and as a transit point during flights between
Europe and the Far East, '' he says.
A number
of new airlines also began operations out
of Abu Dhabi during 1998. These included
Shaheen Air, Air Maldives, Air Afrique and
Czech Airlines. Their entry has added northern
Pakistan, the Maldives, West Africa and
Mauritania to the countries and regions
connected to Abu Dhabi and increased the
choice and flexibility of routes available
to passengers.
Mr. Mohairbi
is confident that the major expansion under
way in all aspects of the airport will confirm
Abu Dhabi's role as both a major transit
point and a major destination for the Gulf
and the wider Middle East region well into
the 21st century. ''Once our airport expansion
program is complete,'' he says, ''Abu Dhabi
International Airport will be offering services
in keeping with the promise of the new millennium.'' |
