QAIA recorded 5.9% rise in 2019 passenger traffic — AIG

AMMAN — Queen Alia International Airport (QAIA) achieved a new milestone for annual passenger (PAX) traffic, receiving 8,924,080 PAX during 2019, according to recent statistics released by the Airport International Group (AIG). 

The number represents a 5.9 per cent increase compared with 2018, said an AIG statement made available to The Jordan Times on Sunday, adding that aircraft movements reached 79,740, indicating a 3.7 per cent rise, whereas handled cargo amounted to 102,459 tonnes, marking a 1.6 per cent decrease.

In December 2019, QAIA welcomed 659,591 passengers, recording a 4.7 per cent surge as compared with the same month a year earlier. Furthermore, aircraft movements totalled 6,121, up by 2.5 per cent from December 2018, while handled cargo came in at 8,280 tonnes, down by 9.1 per cent, the statement said. 

The top five travel destinations in terms of the number of passengers during 2019 were Dubai, Istanbul, Cairo, Doha and Kuwait, the AIG study found. 

QAIA's route network was also joined by four new airlines, including SaudiGulf Airlines, Transavia (Netherlands and France) and Royal Air Maroc, and five new cities were made available for flights to and from Amman, namely Casablanca, Memmingen, Malta, Thessaloniki and Lyon. 

“2019 has proven to be yet another fruitful year for Queen Alia International Airport,” AIG CEO Nicolas Claude said in the statement. 

"The remarkable dedication of our teams and partners has enabled us to break new records, while further strengthening our standing on the global aviation map and positioning the Kingdom as a prominent travel destination within the MENA region and beyond," he added. 

QAIA also received the Airport Customer Experience Accreditation and claimed the 2018 title of "Best Airport by Size and Region" for the Middle East among airports that serve five to 15 million passengers, both of which were granted by Airports Council International, according to Claude.