Georgian airports serve over 2 million passengers

Passenger numbers at Georgia’s three international airports are on the rise, latest statistics show.

During the first nine months of 2016 the number of passengers using airports in Georgia increased by 23.46 percent year-on-year (y/y), said Georgia’s Ministry of Economy.

Figures showed between January-September this year 2,184,688 passengers took regular or charter flights from Georgia’s three main airports; Tbilisi Shota Rustaveli International Airport, Batumi International Airport and Kutaisi International Airport. 

During the same period of 2015 the three airports served only 1,769,485 passengers.

The year 2016 was one of the best years in the history of Georgia’s aviation”, said Economy Minister Dimitry Kumsishvili, 

He noted Georgia's three main airports experienced "unprecedented” growth during each month of 2016.

The Minister mentioned during the past four years the number of passengers using Georgian airports had increased gradually; so far this year it increased by 103 percent compared to 2012.

In particular, Tbilisi International Airport served 1,728,438 passengers in the first nine months of 2016, which was a 20.65 percent increase y/y.

Batumi International Airport served 270,557 passengers in January-September 2016 – a 44.79 percent increase, while Kutaisi International Airport served 146,162 passengers on regular or charter flights, which was a 24.92 percent increase y/y.

Increasing numbers of passengers were using the United Arab Emirates-Georgia route. Photo by N. Alavidze/Agenda.ge.

The data also showed the number of passengers had 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)

Georgia’s Economy Minister said thanks to extensive renovation and extensions in recent months, Georgia's three main airports now met the needs of increased passengers numbers.

Tbilisi Shota Rustaveli International Airport now had an international standard main runway. Next year the airport will have a new arrival terminal building that is capable of receiving 3.25 million passengers per year.

The Economy Minister claimed it was the Government’s priority to build new airports and develop the country's existing infrastructure to boost international tourism.

Improving airport infrastructure in Georgia was 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.