Feb. 27--Dubai International started the new year with record monthly traffic, exceeding 6.4 million passengers in January due to new services and seasonal rush of holiday makers into the emirate.
According to the traffic report issued by operator Dubai Airports, passenger traffic reached 6,400,706 in January 2014, up 15.1 per cent from 5,559,760 recorded during the same month in 2013.
Welcoming the record performance Dubai Airports chief executive Paul Griffiths noted that unhindered growth is the mandate given to the emirate's aviation sector and timely infrastructure expansion and its full utilisation is key to achieving that goal.
"Our new Concourse A is a case in point. With 10,608 A380 scheduled flights to 26 destinations in 2013, Concourse A has helped Dubai International enhance its status as the world's largest hub for Airbus A380 operations in its first full year of operations."
Freight volumes in January 2014 totalled 197,021 tonnes, reflecting an increase of 4.5 per cent compared to 188,520 tonnes recorded in same month last year.
Aircraft movements up 4.1 per cent last month to 32,625. Passengers per aircraft movement in January came in at 199.
Saj Ahmad, chief analyst at London-based StrategicAero Research, said Dubai International's stunning start in 2014 demonstrates the demand-pull for passengers to travel to and through the airport.
"While the 15 per cent year-on-year rise in traffic was boosted by holiday traffic, this doesn't detract from the fact that traffic growth, led by Emirates and flydubai's continued expansion have been key catalysts behind this surge," Ahmad told
Despite runway works in the summer that may hit annual traffic figures by the end of 2015, Dubai International will displace Heathrow Airport as the busiest international airport, he said.
Copyright 2014 - Khaleej Times, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
