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Abu
Dhabi is well on its way to becoming
a regional industrial center, investing
over $3 billion to develop its petrochemical
base and increase its upstream gas
handling capacity alone.
Abu Dhabi is also pushing to establish
itself as a leading transit center
and tourist destination, upgrading
and expanding all elements of its
infrastructure and transport facilities.
Abu
Dhabi International Airport is playing
a key role as the major entry point
to the emirate; passenger arrivals
are increasing year by year.
Khaled
al Mohairbi, Abu Dhabi International
Airport's director, says overall
traffic through the airport in 1998
reached 3.4 million, an increase
of 8 percent over 1997. This included
a 7 percent increase in departures,
a 10 percent increase in arrivals
and an 8 percent increase in transit
passengers.
Of
the total, 33 percent were from
the Middle East, 19 percent were
from Gulf Cooperation Council countries
and 25 percent were from Asia, including
13 percent from India. Another 11
percent of passengers were from
Europe, with a variety of other
nationalities making up the final
12 percent.
Mr.
Mohairbi says more than 40 airlines
now operate from the airport, linking
it to more than 90 international
airports. Over the past year a number
of new airlines were attracted by
the airport's strategic location
and first-class facilities. ''During
1998, we signed agreements with
two charter airlines, Britannia
and LTU, under which they will utilize
Abu Dhabi for their technical stopovers
and as a transit point during flights
between Europe and the Far East,
'' he says.
A
number of new airlines also began
operations out of Abu Dhabi during
1998. These included Shaheen Air,
Air Maldives, Air Afrique and Czech
Airlines. Their entry has added
northern Pakistan, the Maldives,
West Africa and Mauritania to the
countries and regions connected
to Abu Dhabi and increased the choice
and flexibility of routes available
to passengers.
Mr.
Mohairbi is confident that the major
expansion under way in all aspects
of the airport will confirm Abu
Dhabi's role as both a major transit
point and a major destination for
the Gulf and the wider Middle East
region well into the 21st century.
''Once our airport expansion program
is complete,'' he says, ''Abu Dhabi
International Airport will be offering
services in keeping with the promise
of the new millennium.''
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