Dubai airport sees 6.5% rise in April passengers

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PASSENGERS UP: Dubai International Airport saw more passengers in April compared to the same month in 2008, according to latest figures. (Getty Images)

Passenger numbers at Dubai International Airport increased 6.5 percent in April compared with the same period last year as the hub continued to defy the global slowdown.

Since mid-2008, airports across the world have reported dwindling throughput figures following a drop in air travel demand. But Dubai International is still reporting growth – albeit less than the double-digit figures seen in recent years.

The airport attracted 3,271,475 last month – up from the 3,073,479 in 2008, according to the Airports Council International’s (ACI) latest figures.

“The results for April are ahead of our expectations and this bodes well for the rest of the year,” said Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths. “The latest figures are very encouraging, and considering that the travel season is yet to peak, we are very positive that the second quarter will show better results.”

The ACI revealed that Dubai International was ranked fourth globally in March for passenger traffic. It was the only hub among the world’s top 10 for traveller numbers to report growth in two successive quarters, with 7.1 percent and two percent registered in last year’s Q4 and Q1 of 2009 respectively.

Griffiths said he expected more airlines to join the five new carriers that recently launched flights to and from Dubai.

"There are indications that we will continue to welcome new airlines at more or less the same rate over the coming months, and this will add to our current growth, much of which is a direct result of the rebound in traffic from Western Europe, the US and Russia," he said.

The launch of flydubai, the emirate’s own low-cost carrier, from Terminal 2 will further increase the airport’s passenger figures, Griffiths added.

Last year, Dubai International handled more than 37.4 million passengers, a nine percent increase compared with 2007.

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READERS' COMMENTS

Please present the complete picture
Posted by MD, Dubai on Wednesday 13 May 2009 at 08:14 UAE time


Somehow Dubai always portrays that it is visitors from Europe and US who alone are responsible for the increase in the number of tourists visiting Dubai and hence they contribute to increase in the number of passengers to Dubai airport.

For those of us living in Dubai, we know that the increase passengers in April is due to the fact that many residents of Dubai have gone back to their home countries, majority of them from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Phillipines. And we will continue to see this reflected for May, June and July.

So why shy away from telling the truth?

To ABE
Posted by Abu Ali, Dubai, UAE on Tuesday 12 May 2009 at 17:18 UAE time


That is great buddy, less traffic and cheaper accommodation for the rest of us.

The Dubai Doomsters
Posted by Morten H on Tuesday 12 May 2009 at 17:11 UAE time


As much as I feel truly sorry for the many lost jobs in Dubai, its terribly tiresome that even validated figures on airport traffic is interpreted negatively by the "Dubai Doomsters". I will counter with an equally unsubstantiated statement: We had visitors over last week and they were absolutely loving it - second visit in 9 months and they are coming back in the Fall. Another colleague had visitors at the Dubai Fountain - "an experience for life" was the comment. I was in MoE last night - PACKED. Dubai Mall the other night: PACKED.
Anyways, who honestly believes that Dubai has lost its appeal and will suddenly cease to attract both tourists and professionals? And if you really believe that, then I have shares in the Eiffel Tower up for sale, just for you at special price :-)

Well Done Dubai Airport!
Posted by ABE, Dubai, UAE on Tuesday 12 May 2009 at 16:37 UAE time


Bravo! Bravo! Yes, The figures were relatively correct and expecting more rise next month till August. The reasons? They are transient and one way ticket holder flying back home. As the school year end in June more family would be returning home for good & sad to say I am one of them with 3 kids since, I will be made redundant this month. hu hu hu

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