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The post Abu Dhabi Airport to serve 2.8 million passengers in July and August appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Travel Daily.

The Abu Dhabi International Airport is expecting a huge rush during Eid Al Adha and the summer season, the airport operator said. As many as 2.8 million passengers are expected to use AUH during July and August, of which 414,000 will travel between July 7 and 15 for the Eid holidays, Abu Dhabi Airports said.

“We are excited to keep the momentum going as the industry continues to recover and consumer confidence rebounds. Traffic during this upcoming peak season will ultimately have a positive impact on our 2022 traffic estimates of over 13 million passengers passing through Abu Dhabi International by the end of this year,” said Francois Bourienne, Chief Commercial Officer, Abu Dhabi Airports.

Late last month, Etihad Airways said it will fly 2.7 million passengers between June and August, following a surge in demand for global travel. Over 1.4 million passengers will depart from Abu Dhabi through the more than 1,100 weekly network-wide departures.

“As travel rebounds from the impact of the global pandemic, Etihad has witnessed a vast increase in bookings over recent weeks,” said Mohammad Al Bulooki, Chief Operating Officer, Etihad Aviation Group. “With summer holidays upon us and to manage the increase in passenger numbers, Etihad has bolstered operations both locally and across our global network to ensure guests enjoy a seamless airport and flight experience.”

As many as 2.56 million people travelled through Abu Dhabi International Airport in the first quarter of 2022, a 218 per cent jump compared to the year-ago period, which saw 0.81 million visitors. The airport recorded 22,689 flights during the period compared to 16,351 in 2021, a growth of 38.8 per cent.

Load factors have also doubled, with the average passenger load factor reaching 70 per cent during the first quarter, compared to 35 per cent in the year-ago period. The airport now offers flights to 99 destinations on 26 airlines compared to 81 destinations on 18 carriers during Q1 2021.

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The post 87% Indian travellers want airport lounge access appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Travel Daily.

International demand for air travel has picked up substantially as restrictions across countries ease. Travellers who averaged 6 return trips pre-pandemic (2019), are beginning to return to the skies, with an average of 3 self-predicted return trips planned for 2022, found a new study commissioned by Collinson, a global leader in traveller experiences.

The research, which seeks to understand the latest trends and travel habits driving Asia Pacific customers, surveyed almost 5,400 frequent travellers across seven major markets – Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Singapore and South Korea. India saw the largest number of respondents to the research out of all the markets included, with 1,063 participants (20%).

With summer in the northern hemisphere ushering in what has generally been believed to be the “peak travel season”, one can expect to see a rise in travel around the region as people start planning their much-awaited vacations. Although the majority of these trips are expected to be domestic leisure trips, 55% of respondents have expressed an interest in travelling outside of their home market for at least one trip.

Looking at India specifically, the market appears to be ahead of the curve, with Indian airports witnessing a steep ramp-up in international passenger traffic. Travel reached 72% of pre-COVID levels in May this year, and is expected to reach 80-85% of pre-COVID levels by April 2023. Major destinations driving this demand are South East Asia, the Middle East and Europe.

This is significant, as it reflects how travellers are not holding back on the scale of their journey and remain eager to make up for the time and experiences lost over the last two years due to the pandemic.

Airport lounges are seen as key in curbing travel anxiety – with the Collinson research revealing that 49% of Indian travellers ‘feel safer at the airport’ when they’re able to access a lounge. On average, travellers regard lounge access as the number one most desirable travel benefit at the airport, leading to 87% of Indian travellers expecting airport lounge access as a premium card benefit. 55% of Indian respondents said they felt ‘rewarded’, while a further 52% of Indian respondents said lounge access made them ‘feel valued as a customer’.

Todd Handcock, Asia Pacific President for Collinson said, “After two long years of waiting for the pandemic to recede and borders to open up, people across India are eagerly embracing the return of travel. This is an encouraging trend given that apprehensions around travel safety continue to exist. Recognising the value travellers place on lounge, we’re extremely pleased to support Indian travellers’ return to the skies through the launch of Priority PassTM Access India.”

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