DWC records strong passenger and freight traffic growth in Q1 2014

Since the opening of the new passenger terminal on 27 October 2013, passenger volumes at DWC continued to gain momentum, with 102,137 passengers passing through the airport in the first three months of the year. This was the first full quarter of operations since the new terminal was opened. 

In March this year Qatar Airways joined Wizz Air, Al Jazeera Airways and Gulf Air which already operate flights from Dubai’s second airport, offering twice daily flights to Doha from DWC. 

The growth trend is expected to escalate in the second quarter of 2014 with more than 600 flights per week temporarily moving over from Dubai International – where both runways will be refurbished and upgraded between May 1 and July 20, 2014. Among the airlines is flydubai, which will operate a select number of flights from DWC in addition to flights from Dubai International’s Terminal 2. 

Freight volumes also rose, recording 76,816 tonnes in the first three months of the year, up 42.3 per cent from the 53,974 tonnes achieved during the first quarter of 2013. 

Volumes were boosted by the introduction of several new scheduled freighter services with Cathay Pacific, Qatar Airways, Ethiopian Airlines and Cargolux all moving their dedicated freighter flights to DWC since the end of last year. This has increased weekly scheduled freighter flights to more than 60. 

This growth trend is expected to be maintained, with Emirates SkyCargo joining the move to DWC in May when it moves all dedicated freighters to the airport. 

As a result of the increased activity, aircraft movements climbed sharply in the first quarter of 2014 to 9,965 movements, up 142.8 per cent from the 4,104 movements in the first three months of 2013. 

“It was a gratifying quarter of growth for DWC. Passengers appreciate the simplicity of using the new passenger terminal which allows them to quickly move from kerbside to the gate. The airport will also play a vital role in the runway upgrades at Dubai International, with a number of passenger airlines relocating to DWC for the duration of the works,” said Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports. 

Analyst Saj Ahmad commented: “Dubai World Central has started off 2014 in great shape and will leverage the benefits of extra passenger coming its way as airlines shift operations from Dubai International Airport during the runway upgrades there. 

“Al Maktoum International's initial capacity of approximately 7 million passengers will take time to be expanded, especially because some airlines will continue to focus on Dubai International and will shift flights back there - however, many will opt to keep flights operating out of both Dubai airports if only because they know that the frenetic passenger growth in the city means that it would be reckless to give up prime slots at Al Maktoum International, which will only become harder and more costlier to get once the airport is fully developed. 

“Passenger traffic at Dubai World Central will peak during the runway works from May through to July and will likely taper off thereafter due to the last few days of Ramadan and the early part of the hot summer season, but by the time the third and fourth quarter results are in, the airport will handsomely eclipse the 100,000 passengers it has handled in the first quarter of the year. 

Ahmad added: “Equally impressive is the surge in freighter activity. The 42% rise in cargo volumes, boosted thanks to Emirates Skycargo moving operations to Al Maktoum International paves the way for long term transhipment efficiency and lower costs. While the wider global cargo market has slowly started to recover, Al Maktoum International Airport provides a unique platform to enhance freight activities thanks to customised operations that leverage the strength that a new airport and infrastructure bring.”