WAM — The UAE’s aviation sector continues to record steady growth, driven by its extensive expertise and wide-ranging achievements in providing world-class airport solutions that have ramped up the stature of its four national carriers.
The UAE’s aviation sector now contributes around Dh 169 billion (US$46 billion), which makes up around 15 percent of the country’s GDP.
The Dubai International Airport currently leads globally in terms of the number of international travellers while Abu Dhabi International Airport remains the fastest growing airport in terms of the same statistics.
The fleet of its four national air carriers — Emirates Airline, Etihad Airways, Air Arabia and flydubai — rose in size to 512 aircrafts by the end of 2017, and the number of travellers going through the country’s airports increased to over 126.5 million during the same period.
Statistics from the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) show that the number of flights within the country’s airspace reached around 882,600 last year while the number of passengers going through Dubai International Airport hit 91.3 million.
UAE’s national carriers added 13 new destinations to their international routes in 2017, reaching a combined total of 444 international destinations from various airports around the country.
The UAE government has banked on the importance of the aviation sector to the country’s overall sustainable development, by constructing international airports and established leading international aviation companies, and investing billions in aviation infrastructure.
Dubai International Airport deals with around 250,000 travellers and 1,200 flights on a daily basis links millions of travellers to over 240 destinations. The total number of passengers who used the airport from its launch in 1960 to the end of the current year is estimated to be at around one billion.
Meanwhile, the construction of the new Abu Dhabi International Airport is seen to advance the UAE’s aviation sector. The airport is expected to receive around 84 million travellers annually, or around 11,000 travellers per hour, during peak periods.
The budget for the new airport has reached Dh 19.1 billion. Construction will be completed by the last quarter of 2019 while its pilot operation will begin by the end of this year.
The building, which has an area of 742,000-square metres, will have the largest inner arch in the world, extending over a distance of 180 metres and a height of 52 metres while weighing in at around 1,000 metric tonnes. It will also include a wide variety of duty-free shops, restaurants and travellers’ halls.
To highlight its accomplishments in the aviation sector, the UAE celebrates the annual “UAE Civil Aviation Day,” every fifth of October to keep abreast with the latest developments and innovations in air transportation and safety standards.
