The Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix event on Yas Island last month contributed to Abu Dhabi International Airport’s impressive passenger and cargo growth rates during October.  The Abu Dhabi Airport Company (ADAC) released figures on Saturday showing the airport again bucked global recessionary trends recording a seven percent increase in passenger traffic in the first ten months of this year compared to the same period last year.   

ADAC figures show 7.9 million passengers transited through the airport through October 31 of this year, up from 7.4 million passengers for the same period last year.  Passenger traffic in October of this year increased two percent to 797,000, up from 776,000 in October 2008.  The amount of cargo handled at the airport also increased 4.2 percent during the first ten months of the year to 309,585 tonnes.  Aircraft movements increased 15.5 percent in October 2009 compared to October 2008, and for the first ten months of the year growth was nine percent.