2.23 million passengers via Sharjah International Airport in nine months

This comes as a result of airport's ongoing efforts to improve its customers' satisfaction from passengers, airlines and airport's other users and developing the services and facilities offered.

Latest statistics issued by the airport indicate that passenger movement is up by 37.21% in the first 9 months of 2006 compared with the same period of 2005, jumping from 1.63 million passengers during (Jan-Sept 2005) to 2.23 million during (Jan - Sept 2006). Overall number of flights for the same period increased by 14%, jumping from 27,904 flights during (Jan-Sept 2005) to 31,815 flights during (Jan-Sept 2006). The volume of cargo and shipping handling during the first nine months of the current year reached 411,697 tons, an increase of 17.9% compared with 349,259 tons handled during the same period of 2005.

Statistics indicate that the number of passengers traveling through Sharjah International Airport has increased by 37.21% over the same period of nine months due to the surge in the numbers of transferred passengers which recorded a growth of 164.2% with the number of transferred passengers increasing from 37,771 passengers during (Jan - Sept 2005) to 99,806 passengers during (Jan - Sept 2006). Whereas the number of arrivals witnessed an increase of 39% from 715,854 passengers during (Jan - Sept 2005) to 996,202 passengers during (Jan - Sept 2006), the numbers of departures increased by 34.9% from 710,505 passengers during (Jan-Sept 2005) to 958,286 passengers during (Jan-Sept 2006), and the number of transit passengers increased by 9.94% from 166,536 passengers during (Jan-Sept 2005) to 183,088 passengers during (Jan-Sept 2006).

August 2006 witnessed the highest number of passengers for the past nine months of 2006 recording 285,838 passengers, while July 2006 was a close second with 283,483 passengers - due mainly to the holiday season and passengers returning before the start of the school year.

Overall aircraft movements over the past nine months of 2006 increased by 14%. Scheduled aircraft movements registered a good increase of 20.2% to rise from 19,905 flights during (Jan-Sept 2005) to 23,919 flights during (Jan-Sept 2006), while the number of non-scheduled flights reached 7896 flights during (Jan-Sept 2006), with August 2006 registering the highest number of both scheduled and non-scheduled flights for this period reaching 3771 flights.

Cargo and shipping achieved a growth of 17.9%, rising from 349,259 tons during (Jan-Sept 2005) to 411,697 tons during (Jan-Sept 2006). The volume of imports increased from 47,488 tons during (Jan-Sept 2005) to 53,913 tons during (Jan-Sept 2006) reflecting an increase of 13.53%, while exports reached 82,578 tons during (Jan-Sept 2006). The volume of transferred cargo witnessed an immense increase from 16,887 tons during (Jan-Sept 2005) to 57,318 tons during (Jan-Sept 2006), reflecting an increase of 239.4%, while transit cargo increased from 191,801 tons during (Jan-Sept 2005) to 217,888 tons during (Jan-Sept 2006).

The positive results achieved by Sharjah International Airport during the first nine months of the current year come as a direct result of the collaboration of all the divisions operating at the airport, and the quality of services offered by the airport to passengers and to the airlines companies operating with its premises. The nine month period over which these results have been achieved included the summer holiday season and witnessed an increase in the number of additional flights.

On another note, Sharjah International Airport signed with the Alfa Airports Group, a leading international flight catering company, a contract for the management and operation of flight catering and related services for all airlines operating out of Sharjah International Airport.