Regional circumstances hit passenger, aircraft traffic at QAIA

AMMAN — Cargo traffic at Queen Alia International Airport (QAIA)  rose by 8.3 per cent to 48,973 tonnes during the first half of this year compared to the same period in 2014, Airport International Group (AIG) announced in a press statement on Saturday.

AIG, the Jordanian company responsible for the rehabilitation, expansion and operation of QAIA also revealed a 9.2 per cent drop in passenger traffic (PAX) to 3,248,413 PAX, and a 6.4 per cent decline in aircraft movements (ACM) to 33,748 ACM. 

“During the past six months, Jordan’s aviation industry has been experiencing route cancellations driven by regional circumstances, which in turn has impacted QAIA’s passenger and aircraft traffic,” AIG Chief Executive Officer Kjeld Binger said in the press release.

“Nonetheless, our outlook remains positive for the remainder of 2015, stemming in part from cargo traffic’s ongoing increase since the beginning of the year, as well as the recent addition of Ukraine International Airlines and the low-cost carrier, Air Arabia Jordan, to QAIA’s airline network.

Expanding our low-cost carrier market is a positive step forward for all, as it will give the tourism sector a much needed boost and will hopefully help offset the drop in passenger traffic seen at QAIA so far.