Traffic at Abu Dhabi International Airport grew 9.4 percent in the first quarter of 2011 compared with the same period last year, the operating company said on Saturday. The United Arab Emirates capital's airport handled more than 2.8 million passengers in the first quarter this year, a statement from Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC) said.
The airport also saw a 6 percent increase in aircraft movements. In the first quarter, Australia began services from Sydney to Abu Dhabi, Etihad Airways launched its new route to Bangalore in India, and Air India Express added flights to Amritsar and Mangalore in India, contributing to strong traffic growth.
"The continuous flow of passengers through the emirate remains strong, and we expect momentum to remain as we draw closer to the busier summer season," Ahmed al Haddabi, senior vice president, airport operations at ADAC said in the statement. Cargo traffic saw a 9 percent growth in first quarter this year over first quarter 2010.