Dubai International Airport records leap both in passenger traffic and freight traffic in 2008

Dubai International Airport, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has posted a 9.01% increase in passenger traffic and a 9.38% increase in freight traffic year-on-year traffic in 2008, despite the worldwide economic slump and a slowdown in global travel demand.

In 2008, Dubai International Airport handled a throughput of 37.4 million passengers, compared with 34.3 million passengers a year before. However, the airport missed its target of 40 million passengers, a statement from the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) said.

Dubai International Airport, which has become the top aviation and business hub in the Middle East, handled 18.46 million passengers in the first half of 2008 – which was a record – marking a growth of 13.8% over the first half of 2007.

For the airport, August was the busiest month of 2008 in terms of passenger traffic – with 3.36 million passengers. February 2008 posted the highest growth rate – at 18.83%.

In the statement, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, president of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) and chairman of Dubai Airports, said the growth was “impressive considering the economic turmoil, the record high price of oil in 2008 and the impact of the overall situation on civil aviation and related sectors worldwide.”

Dubai International Airport’s growth in 2008, Sheikh Ahmed added, was a clear sign of the United Arab Emirates’ “sturdy economy and Dubai’s significance not only to local and regional growth but also to tourism and business globally” and that the “momentum of this growth would have a positive influence on the airport’s situations as well as the overall projected growth for Dubai Airport for 2009.”

As for cargo, with the opening of the new, third terminal, Dubai International Airport handled 1,824,991 tonnes of cargo in 2008 as against 1,668,505 tonnes of freight in 2007.

Dubai International Airport, built in October 2007, has been undergoing “major streamlining of its organisational structure mainly to be more aligned to its corporate objectives, and increasing efficiency to meet and exceed global standards in airport management,” Sheikh Ahmed said. The transformation of the airport, according to him, was successfully completed in 2008, with all existing employees being retained.