RIYADH — The General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) announced that during 2021, the air traffic recorded an increase of 43%, and the ship's movement in seaports increased by 7%. GASTAT's announcement came during its disclosure of the results of air and sea traffic statistics. It said that the number of incoming and outgoing domestic and international flights at all Saudi airports during 2021 amounted to approximately 497 flights, with a rate of 43% compared to 2020. During 20211, about 49 million passengers were transported, with an increase of 30%, the GASTAT said, adding that the share of Saudi aviation amounted to nearly 40 million passengers, or 81.6%. With regard to international flights arriving and departing from Saudi Arabia, the number of flights reached 126,000, with an increase of 20%, while the domestic flights amounted to 371,000 flights, with an increase of 53%. GASTAT has also revealed the airport with the highest number of flights. It confirmed that King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh ranked first with 33% of the number of flights, followed by King Abdulaziz Airport in Jeddah with 26%, and King Fahd International Airport in Dammam in third with 13%. The number of passengers transported on domestic flights reached about 35 million, an increase of 45%. As for international flights, it recorded 14 million passengers, with an increase of 4%. King Khalid Airport came the highest in terms of the number of passengers, with 35%, followed by King Abdulaziz Airport with 29%, and then King Fahd Airport with 12%. As for the statistics of freight movement, the airfreight movement recorded an increase of 501,000 tons, with an increase of 53%, of which the domestic freight amounted to about 79,000 tons, an increase of 54%. GASTAT noted that 360,000 tons were shipped via Saudi airlines, while 220,000 tons were shipped via foreign airlines. The movement of ships in seaports recorded an increase of 7%, reaching 13.2 thousand vessels. And the total number of passengers traveling through ports in Saudi Arabia reached 652,000 in 2021, where the number of passengers increased by 33% compared to 2020. GASTAT said that the port of Jazan was the highest in the list in terms of the number of passengers, with a total of 460,000 passengers, constituting 71% of the total number of passengers through Saudi ports.
