Queen Alia International Airport (QAIA) has recorded a 15.09 per cent increase in passenger traffic (PAX) in August as compared to the same period last year, said a report.

The year-to-date (YTD) PAX went up by 2.97 per cent compared to the same period last year, standing at 4.4 million, said the report from Airport International Group (AIG), the Jordanian company responsible for the rehabilitation, expansion and operation of QAIA.

Aircraft movements (ACM) also reached an all-time high of 6,465 this August, an increase of 3.81 per cent over the same month in 2012, it said.

These outcomes are particularly notable when weighed against July’s 16.3 per cent decrease in passenger traffic and a 9.52 per cent fall in ACM, said a senior official.

“Air traffic in the Mena region is particularly susceptible to external influences as was demonstrated in July, when the traditionally low traffic month of Ramadan and the recent events in Egypt dampened passenger appetite for travel,” said AIG CEO Kjeld Binger.

“In addition, expansion works on Al-Haram Al-Shareef in Mecca, Saudi Arabia caused the cancellation of many Umrah visas worldwide, contributing to the significant drop in direct and transiting pilgrimage traffic,” he said.

“On the other hand, August recorded extraordinary results for monthly traffic performance. The Eid and school summer holidays played an important role in triggering higher early-month arrivals and late-month departures among vacationers, along with the extra capacity operated by many airlines to cater to high demand during this period,” he added. - TradeArabia News Service