Kingdom's airports welcome 6.99m passengers in 2024's first nine months

AMMAN — Around 6.99 million passengers travelled through Jordan's airports in the first nine months of 2024, according to recent data from the Ministry of Transport.

In the third quarter alone, passenger numbers dropped by 10 per cent compared with the same period in 2023, reaching 2.687 million, while the second quarter saw a 5-per-cent decline, totalling 2.254 million passengers. 

The most significant drop occurred in the first quarter, with passenger numbers decreasing by 30 per cent compared with 2023 to 2.013 million, according to the data.

The ministry also reported a total of 61,500 flights, both arrivals and departures, during the first three quarters of 2024. 

In the third quarter, air traffic decreased by 10 per cent year-on-year, reaching 22,537 flights, while the second quarter saw a 6-per-cent decline to 21,000 flights. 

The first quarter experienced the sharpest decrease, with flights witnessing a decline of 30 per cent to 18,000.

A comprehensive 2019 study by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Consulting, commissioned by Airport International Group (AIG), indicated that the Queen Alia International Airport (QAIA) supported 238,000 jobs and contributed JD2.5 billion (8.9 per cent) to the Kingdom's GDP. 

These figures are projected to rise to 278,000 jobs and JD3.9 billion by 2032, which underscores QAIA’s role as the Kingdom’s primary entry point. 

Currently, QAIA handles over 97 per cent of passenger traffic and 99 per cent of cargo.

In 2007, the government awarded AIG a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) concession to manage, rehabilitate, and expand QAIA, fostering economic and operational growth, according to an AIG statement.

Since then, QAIA has consistently led in service quality, holding the top position for eight years in the Airport Service Quality Survey’s “Best Airport by Size and Region: Middle East” category for airports serving 5 to 15 million passengers. 

It also ranked among the top two in the “Best Airport by Region: Middle East” category for four consecutive years.

QAIA has also achieved several environmental and customer service milestones. In 2022, it became the first airport in the Middle East and second in the Asia-Pacific region to achieve Level 4+ “Transition” in the Airport Carbon Accreditation Programme, valid through 2025.

Additionally, it was the first Middle Eastern airport to attain Level 3 in Airport Customer Experience Accreditation, renewed until January 2025. 

In 2024, QAIA received a 4-Star Airport Rating in its first evaluation by the SKYTRAX World Airport Audit, reflecting excellence in staff service and product quality.

AIG CEO Nicolas Deviller has recently highlighted the group’s commitment to advancing key areas such as decarbonisation, operational efficiency, and passenger satisfaction through innovation and dedication.