Abu Dhabi – Mubasher: The UAE is expected to see a growth in passengers by more than 6.3% in 2017, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
The association forecasts an additional 258 million passengers a year on routes to, from, and within the Middle East by 2035.
“Emirates reported an AED 786 million ($214 million) profit for the six months to 30 September 2016, down 75% on the same period the previous year, and revenues also declined slightly to $11.4 billion,” according to JLS Consulting director John Strickland.
"Etihad is expected to make changes in its investment strategy, particularly into other airlines," Strickland added.
Middle East carriers reported the strongest annual traffic growth of any region globally for the fifth year running in 2016, the IATA said.
Airports in the GCC region and Middle East are expanding slightly ahead of the curve in demand, with capacity in 2016 increasing by 13.9%.
Middle East passenger numbers are only expected to rise by 9% this year, a further dip compared to 2016’s 10.8% growth.
