Ammon News - AMMONNEWS – The Jordanian company responsible for the rehabilitation, expansion and operation of Queen Alia International Airport (QAIA) has announced record-breaking traffic for August 2013 following the dip in July results.

As the busiest month in the airport’s history, August 2013 witnessed over 694,343 travelers passing through QAIA, representing a 15.09% increase in passenger traffic (PAX) compared to August 2012. Year-to-date (YTD) PAX went up by 2.97% compared to the same period last year, standing at 4,408,574 PAX. Aircraft movements (ACM) also reached an all-time high of 6,465 ACM this August, an increase of 3.81% over the same month in 2012. Meanwhile, YTD ACM traffic stood at 45,505 ACM, up by a marginal 0.01% as opposed to performance in 2012.

These outcomes are particularly notable when weighed against July 2013’s mixed numbers. Passenger traffic had decreased by 16.3% to reach 547,621 PAX compared to results during July 2012, A total of 5,844 ACM was counted for July 2013, down 9.52% from July last year,

“Air traffic in the MENA region is particularly susceptible to external influences as was demonstrated in July, when the traditionally low traffic month of Ramadan and the recent events in Egypt dampened passenger appetite for travel. In addition, expansion works on Al-Haram Al-Shareef in Mecca, Saudi Arabia caused the cancellation of many Umrah visas worldwide, contributing to the significant in direct and transiting pilgrimage traffic,” said AIG CEO, Kjeld Binger. “On the other hand, August recorded extraordinary results for monthly traffic performance. The Eid and school summer holidays played an important role in triggering higher early-month Arrivals and late-month Departures among vacationers, along with the extra capacity operated by many airlines to cater to high demand during this period. Building on this latest milestone, we anticipate additional traffic growth in upcoming months, particularly in light of the Hajj season and redirected tourism supported by Jordan’s stability in comparison to neighboring destinations.”