Traffic at Abu Dhabi International Airport rose 21.5 per cent year on year last month, confirming expectations of passenger growth that prompted the airport’s ongoing infrastructure expansion.
A total of 1.71 million passengers passed through the airport last month, compared with 1.41 million in February last year, the operator Abu Dhabi Airports said.
“The monthly traffic figures continue to match the long-term forecasts of growth in passenger numbers, with airlines connecting a growing number of new destinations with Abu Dhabi International Airport,” said Ahmad Al Haddabi, the chief operations officer at Abu Dhabi Airports.
The top five routes last month were Bangkok, London Heathrow, Manila, Doha and Jeddah, accounting for 16 per cent of the total traffic.
Arabian Gulf airports in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha are aspiring to become international hubs supported by the expansion of their respective carriers and their strategic location connecting passengers flying from east to west.
The chairman of Abu Dhabi Airports, Ali Majed Al Mansoori, last week said that demand on infrastructure at the airport would be at a critical level by the end of next year, when annual passenger numbers reach 27 million.
That will come just as the new Midfield Terminal will be ready to open in 2017.
The airport is expected to handle between 23 million and 24 million passengers this year at its three existing terminals compared to 20 million passengers last year, the chairman said last week. The airport has handled 3.6 million passengers in the first two months of the year, up from 2.97 million in the same span a year ago.
Saj Ahmad, the chief analyst at StrategicAero Research, said that Etihad Airways’ expansion and minority stake investments in other airlines have had “a net-positive effect” on the sharp rise in traffic at the airport.
“The Midfield Terminal does indeed look like it will open on track in July 2017,” said Mr Al Haddabi?
“The problem for Abu Dhabi International is that the demand pull through Etihad is translating into far higher traffic flows – in some ways, you could argue that the Midfield Terminal should have been started earlier,” he added. To accommodate the increase in traffic, the airport has been undergoing a Dh1.5 billion capacity enhancement programme of its existing terminals.
The first phase of the programme included the installation of X-ray machines and 350 metres of walkways connecting arrival gates to immigration and flight transfer facilities, and the free movement of arriving passengers transferring to Terminal 3.
Nine wide-body aircraft stands have also been added, and a new road network is expected to be completed within the next month.
selgazzar@thenational.ae
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Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The 15 players selected
Muzzamil Afridi, Rahman Gul, Rizwan Haider (Dezo Devils); Shahbaz Ahmed, Suneth Sampath (Glory Gladiators); Waqas Gohar, Jamshaid Butt, Shadab Ahamed (Ganga Fighters); Ali Abid, Ayaz Butt, Ghulam Farid, JD Mahesh Kumara (Hiranni Heros); Inam Faried, Mausif Khan, Ashok Kumar (Texas Titans
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Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
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Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Lamsa
Founder: Badr Ward
Launched: 2014
Employees: 60
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: EdTech
Funding to date: $15 million
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Tearful appearance
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Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
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A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Origin
Dan Brown
Doubleday
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
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Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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Company profile
Company name: Dharma
Date started: 2018
Founders: Charaf El Mansouri, Nisma Benani, Leah Howe
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: TravelTech
Funding stage: Pre-series A
Investors: Convivialite Ventures, BY Partners, Shorooq Partners, L& Ventures, Flat6Labs
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Jetour T1 specs
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Specs
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The bio
Favourite vegetable: Broccoli
Favourite food: Seafood
Favourite thing to cook: Duck l'orange
Favourite book: Give and Take by Adam Grant, one of his professors at University of Pennsylvania
Favourite place to travel: Home in Kuwait.
Favourite place in the UAE: Al Qudra lakes
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
RESULT
Bournemouth 0 Southampton 3 (Djenepo (37', Redmond 45' 1, 59')
Man of the match Nathan Redmond (Southampton)
Last-16
France 4
Griezmann (13' pen), Pavard (57'), Mbappe (64', 68')
Argentina 3
Di Maria (41'), Mercado (48'), Aguero (90 3')
