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The increase in economic, business and tourist activity in the country has led
to a corresponding increase in the local aviation industry. Bucking
international trends, airlines based in the UAE have a combined purchase order
book of over Dh95 billion (US$25.8 billion), the Dubai-based Emirates airline
and Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways accounting for the bulk of new purchases. In
addition, the UAE’s total investment on airport development over the coming 20
years will exceed Dh71 billion (US$19.35 billion).
This figure includes redevelopment of Abu Dhabi International Airport at a cost of Dh25 billion, the Dh15 billion being spent on the ongoing expansion of Dubai International Airport, and Dh30 billion estimated for the new Jebel Ali International Airport (JAIA) development, the UAE’s seventh international airport. |
In addition, Sharjah International Airport intends to spend Dh227 million on redevelopment and Fujairah has pledged Dh183 million investment for the expansion of its terminal and associated structures.
Al Ain International Airport is undergoing a Dh75 million development, while the Ra’s al-Khaimah government is also expanding its airport. Currently, the UAE is the largest investor in airport development in the Middle East. In 2004 more than 3.25 million passengers passed through Abu Dhabi International Airport (ADIA), the gateway to the UAE’s capital city, an increase of 22 per cent on 2003 and the busiest year on record. Current capacity is approximately five million, but the major expansion of ADIA, which got under way in mid-2005, will significantly increase throughput.
The new facilities will have an initial handling capacity of 20 million passengers a year when they open, and an ultimate capacity of 50 million passengers a year. Another key part of the development project at ADIA is the substantial increase in cargo facilities, with an ultimate handling capacity of around 2 million tonnes of freight a year. A major user will be UAE national carrier Etihad Airways, which is based at the airport. It has identified airfreight, in particular transit cargo, as one of the key growth areas, although the other 20 or so airlines currently using ADIA will also benefit. In 2004, 21.7 million passengers passed through Dubai International Airport (DIA).
This figure increased by 13.7 per cent in the first half of 2005 compared to the same period in 2004. By the end of 2005, it is estimated that 25 million will have passed through DIA and forecasts for 2010 are for a throughput of 60 million passengers. To facilitate the growth, the second phase of DIA’s development plan is well under way. Dubai Cargo Village’s (DCV) business is expected to remain steady, even when new facilities at Jebel Ali Airport are operational and the second and third phases of expansion are proceeding as planned, aimed at raising DCV’s total handling capacity to 4.5 million tonnes by 2020.
Sharjah International Airport (SIA) handled 1.6 million passengers in 2004 and posted a growth of 40 per cent in the volume of cargo handled, 18 per cent in airplane traffic and 22 per cent in passenger volume during the first half of 2005. The increase in passenger figures is attributed to Air Arabia’s operations and its success since its launch in 2003. SIA will have the capacity to handle 8 million passengers by early 2007 on completion of its expansion plans. Other airports in Al Ain, Ra’s al-Khaimah and Fujairah are also expanding their facilities and recording impressive growth.
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