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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.''
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