ABU DHABI - Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, Director-General of the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), said the UAE's airports witnessed a 15 percent increase in air traffic during the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) held at Expo City Dubai.

In a statement to the Emirates News Agency (WAM), he said Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai recorded the highest daily air traffic in the history of the UAE civil aviation with 2,848 movements on 30th November, the first day of COP28. This included scheduled and unscheduled flights, including private and business aircraft.

He added that the GCAA started preparing to host this significant international event early in coordination with all its strategic partners. They organised meetings and daily communication sessions to discuss plans, improve air navigation management systems to handle the expected increase and conduct simulation exercises. This was especially crucial as the conference coincided with the peak tourism season during this time of the year.

Al Suwaidi mentioned that the committees responsible for aviation and airports developed necessary contingency plans to deal with the expected increase in air traffic during COP28. They launched a dedicated electronic platform to control air traffic and closely monitor incoming flights in continuous coordination with air traffic administrations in neighbouring countries.

He emphasised that the UAE aviation sector, thanks to the efforts of all strategic partners, ensured the smooth and safe arrival and departure of all conference guests.