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Fujairah International Airport Expects 3 Airlines by Year-end

The airport, strategically located on the east coast of the UAE, handles 50 chartered flights daily and does not have any commercial passenger airlines at the airport, but can handle two million passengers annually.

“The discussion is underway with three airlines to uplift passengers from the airport,” General Manager of the airport, Dr. Khaled Almazroui, told Khaleej Times.

Without disclosing the name of the airlines he said, “We are in advanced stage and the airlines will get passengers from the whole east cost including Qalba, Dibba, Khurfakan and some portion of Oman.”

“Another big advantage for any airline is that we are 30 to 40 per cent less expensive compared to Dubai and Sharjah,” Dr Khaled said adding: “We are very competitive in terms of landing, ground handling and parking charges.”

There is no fog and low visibility problems at the airport which is open 365 days a year. Fujairah Airport has signed so many diversion agreements for low visibility and emergency landing with major players operating in the region, including Emirates, Cathay Pacific and Air Hong Kong.

The airport generates 90 per cent of revenue from cargo business, while 10 per cent comes from jet passengers, he added. In 2008, the airport recorded 80 per cent increase in cargo movements compared to 2007. In the first quarter of 2009, aircraft movements and passenger numbers grew 13 per cent, while cargo business witnessed a 
17 per cent growth.

Fujairah airport has a 22-year master plan starting from 2003 with three prime objectives including passenger flights, cargo facility and MRO, or maintenance, repair and overhaul.

“We are starting construction work on MRO facility within next two months and it will take one year,” he said.

After completion, the airport will provide MRO facility to big aircraft such as Airbus A320 and A340 families, in addition to the current services to only Russian aircraft.

For emergency and rescue purposes, the airport has a command vehicle, which is the second in the UAE after Dubai. The number of industrial establishments in Fujairah rose last year by 2.4 per cent to 173 from 166 in 2007, according to the emirate’s 2008 statistical report.

The total capital of the establishments rose to Dh7.338 billion, compared with Dh6.6 billion in 2007 — an increase of 10.74 per cent.

The number of labourers working in the establishments rose to 17,331, compared with 16,248 in 2007 — an increase of 6.6 per cent.

· abdulbasit@khaleejtimes.com