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Dubai International Airport ‘on Track’ to Set New Passenger Traffic Record in 2009

DUBAI — Dubai International Airport, currently the world’s fifth-busiest in international passenger traffic, posted three consecutive months of double-digit growth till August this year, and is well “on track to set a new record” of exceeding 40 million passengers by end-2009, a top airport official said.

Dubai International, the only airport among the top ten airports worldwide to record vibrant growth in international passenger traffic despite the economic downturn, is projected to maintain the growth momentum for the rest of the year to record an overall 8.3 per cent annual growth this year.

“The sustained growth supports projections for a record-breaking year for the region’s leading airport,” said Paul Griffiths, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Airports, which manages the emirate’s two airports, Dubai International Airport and the new Dubai World Central’s Al Maktoum International.

Griffiths said for the third consecutive month recorded a two-digit growth with a 10.7 per cent jump in passenger numbers during August. This follows increases of 10.3 per cent in June and 12.6 per cent in July.

In 2008, Dubai airport saw a nine per cent growth in both passenger and cargo traffic during 2008. Passenger traffic in 2008 increased to 37.44 million. So far this year, Dubai has been the only airport among the world’s top 20 to show a growth in passenger numbers.

Griffiths said the end of the summer also marked the beginning of high-season for tourists which put Dubai International on track to set a new record of 40.5 million passengers by year end.

The airport handled a total of 3.73 million passengers in August 2009 as compared to 3.37 million during the corresponding month last year. The airport’s monthly passenger throughput exceeded the 3.7 million mark for the second time this year, following the record-breaking 3.76 million passengers recorded in July.

Dubai Airports recently released a traffic forecast which projects a 13.6 per cent rise in 2010.

Aviation experts argue that continued route expansion by Emirates airline and Dubai’s low-cost carrier flydubai in addition to Dubai’s open skies policy that promotes market access to other international airlines are factors driving such remarkable growth. With more than 125 carriers serving 210 destinations on six continents operates through the airport, Dubai International has seen traffic surging three times in eight years.

According to Griffiths, consistent growth during the first eight months of 2009 has seen the year to date passenger traffic reach 26.878 million as compared to 25.183 million for the corresponding period in 2008, an increase of 6.7 per cent. This contrasts dramatically with the seven per cent contraction seen in international passengers worldwide year-to-date as reported by Airports Council International or ACI.

In air freight movement, Dubai International is holding on to its position among the world’s top five hubs for international cargo volumes. Dubai Airports Cargo handled a total of 163,427 tonnes of air freight in August 2009 as compared to 158,714 tonnes in August 2008, up 2.9 per cent.

The year to date cargo movement reached 1,198,546 tonnes, up from 1,197,522 tonnes during the same period in 2008, showing a marginal increase of 0.1 per cent. By comparison, ACI reports global volumes for international airfreight are down 20 per cent year to date.

· issacjohn@khaleejtimes.com