Abu Dhabi Airports, the operator of the five airports in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, on Monday released its passenger traffic results report for the third quarter of 2022. During this period, passenger traffic totalled 4.7 million passengers, a rise of 250% compared to the 1.3 million passengers in Q3 2021.

The report highlights impressive passenger traffic figures across Abu Dhabi International, Al Ain International, Al Bateen Executive, Delma Island and Sir Bani Yas Island airports between 1st July and 30th September 2022.

While the five airports reported 10,982,114 passengers by 30th September 2022, which is equivalent to passenger traffic in 2020 and 2021 combined, Abu Dhabi Airports expects to close 2022 with an excess of 15 million passengers.

Jamal Salem Al Dhaheri, MD and Chief Executive Officer at Abu Dhabi Airports, said, “These figures are a demonstration of how the aviation industry has recovered remarkably. New airlines and air routes continue to be attracted to Abu Dhabi, while new and improved services have played a prominent role in accommodating the expected surging demand head-on. For Abu Dhabi Airports, 2022 has been a year of sustained momentum, maintaining a level of excellence that we will carry forward to Q4.”

Third-quarter statistics confirm that 49,046 Air Traffic Movements (ATMs) were recorded across the five airports, a significant 35% increase from the 36,367 ATMs in Q3 2021 in a clear demonstration of network and passenger growth. These flights were conducted between more than 100 passenger destinations on 23 airlines.

The top five countries in terms of the passenger footfall increase during Q3 were from India (933,640), the United Kingdom (291,576), Pakistan (265,793), Saudi Arabia (217,656) and Egypt (197,193).

The busiest destinations served during Q3 included London Heathrow LHR (232,002), Mumbai International (155,294), Delhi International (130,723), Cairo International (118,885) and Kochi International Airport (101,828).

Abu Dhabi Airports also released its Q3 2022 cargo traffic results for Abu Dhabi International Airport that show the airport handled 144,083 tonnes of air freight, compared to 182,929 tonnes during the same period in 2021 due to airlines rebalancing the fleet between passenger and cargo aircraft.

Abu Dhabi Airports recently signed a memorandum of understanding with leading French engineering and operations firm Groupe ADP to explore the potential of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) in Abu Dhabi, a new concept of air transportation which uses electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft to move people and cargo.

The strategic partnership was signed at the Abu Dhabi Air Expo 2022 between Engineer Jamal Salem Al Dhaheri, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Abu Dhabi Airports and Philippe Martinet, Managing Director of Groupe ADP Airport Services, in the presence of His Excellency Nader Al Hammadi, member of the board at Abu Dhabi Airports.

Under the terms of the agreement, Abu Dhabi Airports and Groupe ADP will engage in the joint planning, design, development, and operation of ground infrastructure for AAM in Abu Dhabi, following engagement with stakeholders, a feasibility study and market assessment to develop the industry roadmap.

“We are excited to partner with industry-leading Groupe ADP to explore the potential of introducing AAM to Abu Dhabi. This new system integrates flight technologies with transformational aircraft designs which utilise electric power to hover, take off, and land vertically, enabling sustainability in air transport for both passengers and cargo. This agreement is a testament to our commitment to lead the way by collaborating with our partners to deliver innovation and technology that drives efficiency, convenience and most importantly, sustainability,” said Jamal Salem Al Dhaheri.

“We are proud to enter this partnership with Abu Dhabi Airports to collaborate on building the AAM roadmap and accelerating the development of the necessary infrastructure in Abu Dhabi. With our hands-on experience in the Paris region today, and our deep understanding of the industry, its infrastructure and operational challenges, we will be supporting Abu Dhabi Airports in laying the ground for AAM service implementation in Abu Dhabi.”

 Abu Dhabi Airports also announced last month that it is gearing up to launch advanced biometric technology, which uses a passenger’s facial features as their passport to offer a seamless experience throughout their travel journey at Abu Dhabi International Airport, from the time they arrive at the airport to the time they board their flight.

The technology uses smart cameras to capture an image of the passenger’s face and confirms whether they are cleared to travel. The same information is then used prior to boarding, avoiding the need to present documents again.