Continuing on strong passenger growth rates observed throughout 2008, Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC), the owner-operator of Abu Dhabi International Airport (ADIA), said on Saturday passenger numbers jumped 26.7 percent in July against the same month last year. Passenger figures for the year-to-date matched a familiar growth rate seen at the airport this year with the numbers up 36.5 per cent - the airport having handled 5,092,307 arrival, departure and transit passengers from January through July. Cargo maintained its steady growth with an increase of 15.1 per cent in July 2008 over July 2007's figures. The year-to-date statistics for cargo almost mirroring that rate having posted an overall 15.7 jump over the same seven-month period in the previous year. Traffic figures for July also indicated that an average of 27,004 passengers per day passed through the airport; the month's peak day performance registering a total of 31,783 passengers. “Of course, we expect July to be busy due to the seasonal travel period but to increase such numbers by over a quarter for the month of July and by over a third for the year-to-date is extremely healthy and demonstrates an increasing awareness and willingness for passengers to use the airport and, indeed, airlines to operate from here,” said Rudy Vercelli, CEO of ADAC.
