Momentum Continues to Build at Dubai International

Double-digit passenger and cargo growth recorded in October

Dubai, UAE – November 16 – Dubai International continued to buck international trends registering double-digit year-on-year increases for both passenger and freight traffic during October.

Passenger traffic rose 11.7 per cent in October, marking the fifth consecutive month of double-digit growth. The airport handled a total of 3,496,366 passengers in October 2009 compared to 3,130,333 passengers during the same month last year, raising the year to date passenger throughput to 33,565,105 passengers – up 8.3 per cent over 30,982,665 passengers recorded during the first ten months in 2008. 

After nine months of modest cargo growth, Dubai International registered a double-digit increase in freight traffic for the first time in 13 months as volumes surged 17.7% during October due largely to traffic generated by meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions that took place in Dubai last month. Dubai Airports Cargo handled 185,867 tonnes of freight in October compared to 157,968 tonnes during the same month last year. The last double-digit increase was recorded in September 2008, when freight grew by 12.7 per cent. Year to date cargo volumes reached 1,552,748 tonnes compared to 1,519,327 tonnes during the same period in 2008, up 2.2 per cent.

Commenting from the sidelines of the 2009 Dubai Airshow HH Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, and Chairman of Dubai Airports said, “Dubai’s multi-faceted economy is a great boon especially in times of global economic downturn, because growth in one sector spurs development in others. The ongoing growth in Dubai’s aviation sector has a bearing on our trade and tourism while it draws strength from Dubai’s standing as the region’s hub for the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions) industry. Economic sectors feed off each others’ growth…they are all interconnected.”

 Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports, said Dubai International’s growth reaffirms the fact that the transportation and logistics sector are the backbone of a diversified economy. “Our performance as one of the world’s fastest growing airports is proof that it pays to invest in infrastructure and build capacity to support and stimulate economic activity. It is also evidence of the effectiveness of Dubai’s integrated approach to air transport, trade and tourism.”

Griffiths expressed confidence that Dubai Airports will finish the year on a high note. "We are definitely on track to surpass the 40 million passenger mark this year spurred by the growth of Emirates Airline, the onset of the tourist season and major international events such as the Dubai Airshow 2009, which alone is expected to attract more than 50,000 visitors," said Griffiths. "In fact if you look at the past 12 calendar months we have already exceeded 40 million passengers."

Dubai Airports’ traffic forecast for Dubai International and Dubai World Central-Al Maktoum International projects 13.6 per cent growth in international passenger traffic in 2010 with total passenger traffic expected to top 46 million.