The UAE’s civil aviation sector recorded remarkable growth in the first quarter of 2024, welcoming a staggering 36.5 million passengers, according to the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA).

This figure marks a 14.7% increase compared to the same period last year and highlights the sector’s remarkable growth trajectory.

The breakdown includes 10,723,639 arrivals, 10,874,232 departures, and 14,944,466 transit passengers.

The air cargo sector also witnessed a significant 32% growth in Q1 compared to the same period last year, handling a total of 1.1 million tonnes of cargo in Q1 2024. This volume comprised 269,526 tonnes of imports, 119,490 tonnes of exports, and 714,446 tonnes of transit goods. Notably, national carriers spearheaded approximately 68% of the total air cargo movement during this period.

Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, Director-General of GCAA, attributed this success to the collaborative efforts between the Authority and its partners at both federal and local government levels.

Al Suwaidi highlighted that these growth rates underscore the sector’s strength, competitiveness, and potential for continued advancement.

The strategic opening of new markets for national carriers, facilitated by 189 air transport agreements with countries worldwide, has been instrumental in fostering international partnerships and promoting the open skies policy.

Separately, Airport Show 2024 concluded recently its activities at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), after three days of fruitful discussion sessions, displays of innovative technologies, agreements and memorandums of understanding that will contribute to shaping the future of the aviation industry.

The show attracted more than 7,000 attendees, indicating overwhelming participation by all stakeholders in the industry in the wake of overall positive sentiment of growth in the aviation industry.