Sharjah welcomes 2.74m passengers in Q1
SHARJAH, April 30, 2017
The total number of passengers that passed through Sharjah International Airport in the first quarter (Q1) of 2017 grew to 2.741 million, up from 2.687 million passengers during Q1 2016,marking an increase of 2 per cent, a report said.
Aircraft movements also increased to 18,569 in the first quarter of 2017, a 2.85 per cent growth compared with 18,054 recorded during the first quarter of 2016, reported WAM, the official Emirates news agency.
Ali Salim Al Midfa, chairman of the Sharjah Airport Authority, said: "The figures from Q1, 2017 show the sheer scale of growth and activity being recorded in the Emirate of Sharjah with regards to both tourist traffic and business activity.”
"The increase in passenger traffic in the first quarter of the year was driven by the growth in the number of passengers in January, during which the airport handled 969,633 passengers, a 4.31 per cent growth compared with the figures for the same period in 2016. The airport served 827,369 and 944,038 passengers in February and March respectively, and we are happy with this growth that serves various sectors in the Emirate of Sharjah and the UAE," Al Midfa added.
Al Midfa noted that aircraft movements in January increased by 5.07 per cent to 6,487 movements, reaching 5,622 and 6,460 movements in February and March, respectively. "This reflects the steady pace of growth in terms of aircraft movements and passenger traffic, thanks to the flexible policy adopted by the airport and the facilities given to airlines and passengers," he further added.
"The growth rate was achieved by the airport to cater to a similar growth in the travel and tourism industry in the emirate and the UAE.
“This will help achieve Sharjah Tourism Vision 2021, which aims to attract more than 10 million tourists by 2021," Al Midfa clarified.
The Sharjah Airport Authority expects more growth by the airport this year as it attracts new airlines while current airlines continue to expand by adding new destinations, making a valuable addition to the aviation industry in the emirate.
