Passenger traffic at Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai, UAE, surged by 79.8% in the first quarter of 2016, according to a traffic report by operator Dubai Airports.
Dubai’s second airport welcomed 257,813 passengers during the first three months of the year, nearly 80% more than the 143,374 in the corresponding period in 2015. The sharp increase in passenger traffic was spurred by demand on routes served by major carriers including FlyDubai and Qatar Airways among others and increased frequencies in 2016.
Aircraft movements totaled 10,631 in the first quarter of 2016, a marginal decrease of 0.6% from the 10,699 movements recorded during the corresponding period last year.
Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports, said, “We are very pleased with the growth at DWC and expect the trend to continue. The growth projection is based on two key factors. First is the planned move of FlyDubai’s entire operation to DWC by end of 2017.
“Second is the sheer convenience of using the facility. It takes only minutes for passengers to get from kerb to gate and the arrivals process is similarly efficient. Customers who use DWC once, usually come back as a result.”
