KUWAIT: Kuwait's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) announced yesterday an increase of 17 percent in number of passengers using Kuwait International Airport in 2017 as 13.7 million against 11.7 million in 2016. The number of passengers arriving at the airport reached 6.8 million in 2017 compared to 5.9 million in 2016, said Emad Faleh Al-Juluwi, Deputy Director General for Aviation Safety and Air Transport Affairs.

The number of departing passengers reached 6.8 million in 2017 compared to 5.8 million in 2016, Juluwi said. He noted flights to and from Kuwait Airport in 2017 reached around 111,600 last year compared to around 104,100 in 2016. Commercial flights reached 106,300 in 2017 in contrast to 98,000 in 2016.

Cargo-wise, total weight of air cargo transported through the airport in 2017 was 241.6 million kilograms, compared to 195.5 million kilograms in 2016. He added inbound freight traffic reached 185.3 million kilograms in 2017 compared to 161.4 million kilograms the previous year. Outbound freight traffic reached 56.3 million kilograms in 2017 compared to 34 million kilograms in 2016. - KUNA