97.9 million passengers passed through the country’s airports in 8 months

Yesterday, the country’s aviation sector celebrated UAE Civil Aviation Day, which falls on the fifth of October every year, coinciding with the anniversary of the landing of the first plane on the land of the Emirates, specifically in the Emirate of Sharjah, on the same day in 1932. The runway had been paved for the plane’s landing. In the Al Qasimia area in the Emirate of Sharjah in 1930, it was the first airport to be established in the Arabian Gulf region at that time.

After more than 90 years, the civil aviation sector in the UAE tops many global competitiveness indicators, outperforming many developed countries. The country also owns six national carriers with a global reputation, associated with luxury, quality, security, and safety. During the first eight months of this year, the number of flights operated by our national carriers reached 4,807 weekly flights, to and from various countries of the world, in addition to 10 airports, including eight international airports, classified among the best and busiest in the world, as the country’s airports received during the eight The first months of this year saw more than 97.9 million passengers, a growth rate of 12.6%, compared to 86.9 million passengers for the same period last year.

His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman of Dubai Airports Corporation, Supreme Chairman and CEO of Emirates Airline and Group, and Member of the Board of Directors of the General Civil Aviation Authority, said: “The aviation sector in the UAE is considered an essential artery that connects us to the world, as Dubai International Airport stands out.” As a global role model in terms of speed of growth and quality. The airport serves more than 90 million international passengers annually, and through our partnerships with international airlines, we seek to enhance air connectivity between the UAE and countries of the world. Today, we celebrate our achievements that would not have been achieved without the proactive vision of our wise leadership. We will remain committed to always providing the best to ensure the UAE’s continued role as a global civil aviation hub.”

The Minister of Economy and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the General Civil Aviation Authority, Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, added, “UAE Civil Aviation Day represents an opportunity to celebrate the vision of our wise leadership, which has placed the UAE at the forefront of countries in the world in the aviation sector, which today constitutes a fundamental pillar of the growth of the national economy.” And enhance its competitiveness at the regional and international levels.”

He added: “The UAE is one of the leading countries in the world in terms of the speed of growth of the aviation sector infrastructure, which did not exceed 1% of the GDP when the state was established in 1971, while today the sector contributes up to 13.3% of the GDP of the national economy.” . According to estimates by the International Air Transport Association, the air transport market in the UAE is expected to continue to grow by 170% over the next 20 years, which will lead to the addition of 101 million passenger flights by 2037. This growth will also support the national product equivalent to $127.7 billion. It will provide 1.4 million jobs.”

For his part, Chairman of the Department of Municipalities and Transport in Abu Dhabi, and member of the Board of Directors of the General Civil Aviation Authority, Muhammad Ali Al-Shurafa, said: “This day is an opportunity to celebrate what we have accomplished in the civil aviation sector in Abu Dhabi and the UAE in general. Today, the country is proud of its infrastructure that ranks among the best in the world, as Zayed International Airport is a global example of modern airport design.”

189 agreements

Director General of the General Civil Aviation Authority, Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, said: “On UAE Civil Aviation Day, we celebrate many success stories that formed the cornerstone of this thriving sector, whether in terms of the development of airport infrastructure or the competitive reputation of our national carriers, as the country ranks first. Globally in the number of air transport agreements, with the signing of 189 air cooperation agreements so far, which represents more than 90% of the countries of the world.