Georgian airports serve over 2 million passengers
Monday,
During the first nine months of 2016, the number of passengers at Georgian airports increased by 23.46 percent year-on-year (y/y), said Georgia’s Ministry of Economy.
The figures showed that between January-September this year, 2,184,688 passengers took regular or charter flights from Georgia’s three airports; Tbilisi Shota Rustaveli International Airport, Batumi International Airport and Kutaisi International Airport. During the same period of 2015, the three airports served only 1,769,485 passengers.
“2016 was one of the best years in the history of Georgia’s aviation”, said Georgia’s Economy Minister Dimitry Kumsishvili, and added that Georgian airports had experienced "unprecedented” growth during each month of 2016.
The Minister mentioned during the past four years, the number of passengers at Georgian airports was increasing gradually, and so far this year it increased by 103 percent compared to 2012.
In particular, Tbilisi International Airport served 1,728,438 passengers in the first nine months of 2016, which was a 20.65 percent increase y/y.
Batumi International Airport served 270,557 passengers in January-September 2016 – a 44.79 percent increase, while Kutaisi International Airport served 146,162 passengers on regular or charter flights, which was a 24.92 percent increase y/y.
The data also showed the number of passengers had increased significantly for the following routes:
The United Arab Emirates and Georgia – 190,889 passengers (94 percent increase)
Ukraine and Georgia – 210,496 passengers (30 percent increase)
Iran and Georgia – 86, 013 passengers (2,582 percent increase)
Greece and Georgia – 38,642 passengers (130 percent increase)
Georgia’s Minister of Economics stated that Georgian airports were now meeting the needs of increased passengers numbers after extensive reconstructions over the last months.
Tbilisi Shota Rustaveli International Airport was now enjoying the international standard main runway. Meanwhile, next year the airport will have a new arrival terminal building which will have the capacity to receive 3.25 million passengers per year.
The Minister claimed it was the Government’s priority to build new airports and develop the existing infrastructure in the country.
Improving the airport infrastructure in Georgia was part of the Spatial Arrangement Plan, that will modernise infrastructural development in Georgia and transform the country from a struggling nation into a modern, 21st Century prosperous place.
(Agenda.ge)