Media ININ Economy We Trust
Aug 22
During the first half of this year, Dubai International Airport witnessed a significant recovery in travel, as passenger traffic during this period exceeded pre-pandemic levels in 2019. The world’s busiest international airport received 41.6 million passengers in the first half, representing more than 100 passengers. % of the number of registered passengers during the first six months of 2019.
Dubai Airport recorded an outstanding performance during the second quarter of the year, as passenger traffic increased by 42.7% compared to the same period of the previous year, reaching 20.3 million passengers. May was the busiest month during the second quarter, with 6.9 million passengers. Thanks to the strong performance during the second quarter, the total passenger traffic through the airport increased in the first half of this year to reach 41.6 million passengers, compared to 27.9 million passengers in the first half of 2022, an increase of 49.1%.
Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports, said: “The first half of this year has been a resounding success for Dubai International Airport (DXB), thanks to our maintenance of the highest levels of excellence in service provision, in addition to the great effort of our dedicated team that strives to provide An ideal and personalized travel experience for each of our guests, which makes us even more proud of this distinguished success of the airport. During that time, we communicated with a guest with a hidden disability using a translation tool, celebrated the arrival of an Emirati sports team at the airport, worked with our strategic partners to find a missing passenger’s passport minutes before his flight’s departure time, and helped another traveler retrieve his personal wallet from the hotel where he arrived. He used to live in it even after he completed travel procedures, and recently our team made a tangible effort to collect a child who had forgotten his favorite toy at the airport, as it was found and sent to his home in the United Kingdom.
Griffiths added, “While we celebrate exceeding pre-pandemic levels, we continue to work with all our energies to redefine the airport experience for our guests, so that every one of them leaves with a smile on their face.”
The performance of the baggage handling system at Dubai International Airport continued to achieve its international levels, as the number of baggage handled in the first half of 2023 increased by 7% compared to the levels of the first half of 2019 before the pandemic. The system was able to handle about 37.2 million bags during the first half of 2023, and 92% of them were delivered within 45 minutes to passengers.
Dubai Airport, in cooperation with all its strategic partners, succeeded in managing the multiple seasonal peak periods with high efficiency, while ensuring a smooth travel experience for all traveling guests, by maintaining the highest levels of operational performance, exceeding previously established key performance indicators.
6 million from India
India maintained its lead as the first destination for travelers through Dubai International Airport, with a total of 6 million passengers during the first half, Saudi Arabia came second with 3.1 million passengers, while the United Kingdom ranked third with 2.8 million passengers. The list of the most prominent international travel destinations also included Pakistan (2 million passengers), the United States (1.8 million passengers), Russia (1.3 million passengers), and Germany (1.2 million passengers).
As for the most important city destinations, London topped the list with a total of 1.7 million passengers, followed by Mumbai with a total of 1.2 million passengers, while Riyadh came in third place with a total similar to Mumbai (1.2 million passengers).
It is noteworthy that Dubai International Airport is connected to 257 destinations through more than 91 international airlines at the level of 104 countries around the world.
freight traffic
The volume of cargo traffic at Dubai International Airport increased in the second quarter of the year compared to the same period last year by 16.1% to reach 453,500 tons, and the total cargo traffic during the first half of this year is 853,500 tons – a decrease of 6.2% compared to last year.
The number of flights through Dubai Airport reached 201,800 flights in the first half of this year, an increase of 30.2% over its counterpart from last year, and 13% of the number of flights during the first half of 2019. The average number of passengers per flight in the first half of this year It reached 214 passengers, and the load factor (seat occupancy) reached 77%.
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2023 forecast
And Dubai Airports expressed its optimism about the levels of travel demand during the remainder of the year, expecting that the coming winter season will record records in the number of passengers.
On this, Griffiths said: “The second half of the year witnessed a strong start with the increase in passenger traffic during the month of July, which coincided with the peak period for the back-to-school season in August, and we are preparing for an exceptional active period until the end of this year. Therefore, we have revised our expectations for the current year to rise from 83.6 million to 85 million, which is only 1.6% less than the annual passenger traffic recorded through Dubai International Airport in 2019.
