Passenger traffic at Georgian airports increases by 18.24% in January-June

In January-June 2019 Georgia’s airports served 2,489, 823 passengers. The information was released by the United Airports of Georgia of the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development.

Compared to the same period of 2018, passenger traffic increased by 18.24% (384 131 passengers more), and by 54.59% (879 187 passengers more) compared to the first and second quarters of 2017.

Tbilisi International Airport served 1 870 082 passengers in half a year, which is 11.64% (195 024 passengers) more than the number of passengers transferred in the same period of 2018.

In January-June, 247 391 passengers were transported via Batumi International Airport, which is 30.01% (57 112 passengers) more than the number of passengers recorded in the first half of 2018.

According to the data of the first six months of 2019, the passenger traffic in Kutaisi International Airport increased by 55.40%. A total of 364 834 passengers were served which is 130 060 passengers more compared to the same period of the last year.

As for local destination airports, Mestia served 3 477 passengers within 6 months of the current year, which is 851 passengers more (32.41%) than the number of passengers transferred in the same period of 2018.

Ambrolauri Airport received 599 passengers this year, which is 187 passengers (45.38%) more than the number of passengers served in the first half of last year.

Over the last six months of 2019, 1 422 flights more were carried out in Georgian airports than in the first and second quarters of last year. Total number of passenger and freight flights was 12 096, of which regular flights were 10 726, and 1 370 were charter flights. In comparison with the number of flights carried in the same period in 2018, the increase was 13.32%.

The slight increase was observed in terms of freight transportation. According to the data of the first six months of the current year, transported cargo amounted to 11 421.734 tons, which is 216.55 tons more (+1.93%) than the amount of cargo transported during the same period of the previous year.

According to the European Air Navigation Safety Organization (EUROCONTROL), the number of takeoffs and landings of the planes in Georgia in the second quarter increased by 8.1% compared to the same period of the previous year.

It is noteworthy that the number of domestic flights increased by 12% in comparison with the EUROCONTROL data in the same period last year.

This year, the following airlines entered the Georgian aviation market: “AIR FRANCE”; “Air Malta”; “SmartLynx Airlines” (charter flights) and “Onurair” (charter flights).

However, after Russia banned direct flights with Georgia from July 8, it is unknown how much this will reduce air traffic in the following months. The ban followed large-scale anti-Russian rallies in Tbilisi.