Dubai International Airport has retained its title as the world’s leading airport for international passengers after handling 83,600,000 in 2016. The figures were outlined in the annual traffic report issued by operator Dubai Airports.
Monthly passenger traffic topped 7,000,000 six times during the year, reaching 7,720,000 in August, while total growth was 7.2%. The increase is partly attributed to the new airlines introduced to the airport, including Nepal Airlines Corporation and Rossiya, and also the 11 destinations added due to the expansion of the existing carriers. India remains the single largest destination country for Dubai International, with Saudi Arabia in second place.
Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports, said, “After emerging as the world’s number one airport for international passengers in 2014, Dubai International has firmly established itself as the leader in that category. With our new forecast for 89 million passengers in 2017, we are now closing the gap on Atlanta and Beijing for the top spot in overall traffic.
“We continue to enable that growth and enhance the passenger experience with top flight infrastructure, streamlined processes and technology. Our focus in 2017 and beyond will be on making the airport experience even more delightful, engaging and comfortable for our customers. Our DXB Plus program will see a series of new and unique initiatives and technologies introduced at the airport to make us not only the busiest but also the world’s best international airport.”
Written by Chris Anderson