Georgian airports serve over 2m passengers in 2016, up 25% from previous year

Passenger numbers at Georgia’s three international airports are on the rise, show latest statistics from the Georgian Civil Aviation Agency.

Last year 2,840,455 passengers took regular or charter flights from Georgia’s three main airports; Tbilisi Shota Rustaveli International Airport, Batumi International Airport and Kutaisi International Airport.

In 2016 the number of passengers using airports in Georgia increased by 25.63 percent year-on-year (y/y), announced the Georgian Civil Aviation Agency today.

Tbilisi International Airport alone served 2,252,535 passengers last year, which was a 21.95 percent increase y/y.

Batumi International Airport served 312,343 passengers last year – a 37.91 percent increase, while Kutaisi International Airport served 271,363 passengers on regular or charter flights, which was a 48.32 percent increase y/y.

In 2016 the number of passengers using airports in Georgia increased by 25.63 percent year-on-year. Photo by N. Alavidze/Agenda.ge.  

Meanwhile, in the first nine months of 2016 the number of passengers increased significantly for the following routes:

• The United Arab Emirates and Georgia – 190,889 passengers (94 percent increase)
• Israel and Georgia – 145,997 passengers (62 percent increase)
• Russia and Georgia – 389,341 passengers – (47 percent increase)
• Ukraine and Georgia – 210,496 passengers (30 percent increase)
• Iran and Georgia – 86, 013 passengers (2,582 percent increase)
• Greece and Georgia – 38,642 passengers (130 percent increase)

Thanks to extensive renovation and extensions in recent months, Georgia's three main airports now meet the needs of increased passengers numbers.

Tbilisi International Airport's main runway, put into operation in July 2016, now meets international standards with the addition of navigation lights. The airport will also have a new arrival terminal building that is capable of serving 3.25 million passengers per year.

Improving airport infrastructure in Georgia is part of the Spatial Arrangement Plan, that will modernise infrastructural development in Georgia and transform the country from a struggling nation into a modern, 21st Century prosperous nation.