Abu Dhabi International Airport has been rated the fasted growing in hub connectivity in the world in the last decade by the annual Airport Industry Connectivity Report 2017 published by Airport Council International (ACI).
According to the report, Abu Dhabi registered a growth of 1,479 % in hub connectivity from 2007 to 2017 — a rate that far exceeded the rate registered by major international hubs in Europe and North America.
The ACI report defines hub connectivity as the measure of the number of flights, direct and indirect, that can be facilitated through an airport. It also takes into account minimum and maximum connecting times and weighs the quality of the connections by the detour involved.
Abu Dhabi Airports acting chief executive officer Abdul Majeed Al Khoori said, “The ACI report comes at a crucial time when Abu Dhabi International Airport is embarking on a mega expansion move, which adds to our conviction that the MTB (Midfield Terminal Building) will further support Abu Dhabi’s position as a global hub for air transport.”
“Since the establishment of Abu Dhabi Airports in 2006, the strategy was to develop hub connectivity that will serve the airport, the national carrier and the region, by providing world class and highly efficient airport infrastructure, which is able to cater to our local and international airlines and their passengers,” Al Khoori added.
According to Al Khoori, Abu Dhabi International Airport in 2007 saw 3,237,011 transfer and transit passengers, a number that grew to 15,853,770 in 2016.
“Such significant change has largely been as a result of the growth in the national Carrier, Etihad Airways and its expanded network and increased connectivity,” he concluded.
Out of the top global 20 hubs rated by the ACI 2017 report, three hubs including Abu Dhabi International Airport are located in the Gulf region. Dubai was rated to be in the same group as Abu Dhabi.
Abu Dhabi International Airport was the first airport in the region to join Airports Council International.
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