Abu Dhabi Airports announced on Monday that its passenger traffic surged by 13.1% to 15.8 million in the first half of this year, demonstrating strong growth despite occasional disruptions to Middle Eastern air travel due to regional conflicts.

Zayed International Airport Leads the Way

Zayed International Airport (AUH), the primary travel hub for Abu Dhabi, was the driving force behind this growth, handling a significant 15.5 million passengers. This marks a 13.2% increase compared to the same period last year. The number of flights at AUH also saw an 11.4% rise, reaching nearly 94,000 during the six months ending June 30.

Growth Amidst Geopolitical Challenges

Abu Dhabi Airports attributed this expansion to the addition of new airlines to its network, which has led to an increased number of destinations, particularly to China and India. They also noted strong demand from both tourism and business travel, though specific details weren’t provided.

These impressive gains occurred despite several disruptions, including a 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran last month. This conflict led to airspace closures in some Gulf countries and forced airlines to suspend or reroute flights. Etihad Airways, Abu Dhabi’s main carrier, had to suspend flights to Israel for several weeks in June and faced temporary cancellations on routes to Kuwait, Doha, and Dammam in Saudi Arabia. Even with these challenges, Abu Dhabi Airports CEO Elena Sorlini stated that the results highlight the “resilience of its network.”

Interestingly, low-cost carrier Wizz Air recently announced its departure from Abu Dhabi operations starting September 1, citing factors like geopolitical instability.

Beyond Zayed International

While AUH handles the vast majority of traffic, Abu Dhabi Airports also manages Al Ain International Airport, Al Bateen Executive Airport, Delma Island Airport, and Sir Bani Yas Island Airport.