6.1 million passengers pass through Dubai International in April

This is the third time in four months the airport has recorded monthly traffic of more than 6 million passengers. 

Passenger numbers rose 13.7 per cent to 6,159,634 in April 2014, up from 5,418,946 passengers recorded in April 2013. During the first four months of 2014, traffic climbed 11.9 per cent to 24,521,454 passengers, up from 21,905,363 in the same period last year. 

Regionally, Western Europe achieved the highest growth in passenger numbers in April (+172,223 passengers), followed by the Indian subcontinent (+166,241 passengers), where growth was driven in particular by double-digit increases in passenger traffic from Pakistani cities Karachi and Islamabad. 

Total aircraft movements reached 31,234 in April 2014, climbing 2.5 per cent from the 30,469 movements recorded in April last year. In the first four months of the year, total aircraft movements rose to 125,928, up 3.6 per cent from 121,599 movements in the same period in 2013. 

Cargo volumes also continued to climb, rising 3.7 per cent in April to 207,317 tonnes, up from 199,985 tonnes recorded in the same month last year. Year to date volumes totalled 821,193 tonnes, up 4.6 per cent from the 784,832 tonnes achieved in the first four months of 2014. 

Despite the strong growth so far this year, traffic growth is expected to taper off between May and July this year, with Dubai International reduced to a single runway as the airport’s two runways are consecutively closed for refurbishment and upgrades. Several airlines have moved flights to Al Maktoum International at Dubai World Central (DWC) during the refurbishment period. 

The runway upgrade programme is ahead of schedule with work on the southern runway completed today, May 27 – four days ahead of the planned May 31 completion date – and is now back in operation. These additional days will be used for work on the northern runway which is now closed for refurbishment and will remain so until July 20.  

“We are pleased to report that we were able to deliver the southern runway four days ahead of schedule thanks to the hard work and co-operation between Dubai Airports, Dubai Aviation Engineering Projects and construction crews. Importantly, we have managed to do so without any significant inconvenience to our passengers. Operations at both airports have been smooth to date due largely to a robust planning process and timely coordination of day-to-day changes between all stakeholders,” said Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports. 

“While there is still a lot of work to be done, by August we will be well placed to resume the strong growth achieved so far this year with new runways that can accommodate more aircraft while improving efficiency and service to our passengers.” 

Analyst Saj Ahmad commented: “Dubai International's stunning start to 2014 will of course be curtailed in the coming months due to the runway upgrades, but that the airport has racked up 11.9% more passengers year-on-year underlines the inherent strength it has in luring and pulling in traffic. 

“Feeding off the back of Emirates' robust results earlier this month, Dubai International saw a big 13& in traffic thanks to passenger growth from cities in Pakistan, notwithstanding the regional growth explosion that incumbent flydubai continues to develop and see ever increasing traffic on its networks too.” 

Ahmad added: “Despite the runway updating, it is clear that Dubai International is poised to leverage the strength of its updated infrastructure and relegate London Heathrow Airport as it takes the top slot for international traffic in under a year based on current traffic trajectories. This is a massive achievement for Dubai and with Al Maktoum International also expanding its footprint too, UAE aviation is demonstrating just how air traffic policies should be developed to harness greater intercontinental connectivity.”