UAE. Dubai International Airport passenger traffic climbed by +8.8% year-on-year in May to 3.97 million. In the year to date, passenger traffic is up by +8.6% at 20.5 million.
Gulf states recorded the largest increase in total passenger numbers in May, up +28.3% (+139,717 passengers), followed by the Indian subcontinent (+72,394 or +8%), Western Europe (+24,561 or +3.4%) and Asia Pacific (+24,461 or +13.3%).
In terms of percentage growth, Eastern Europe surged by +381%, albeit from a low base. Russia and CIS traffic benefited from flydubai’s expansion into that region with volumes increasing +20.6% on the back of traffic growth to Moscow, Kiev, Yekaterinburg and Samara.
Middle East passenger traffic, still suffering from political instability in the region, fell by -5.6% in May. Traffic volumes to North America showed a strong increase of +17.7% due to Emirates’ doubling of its frequencies to Houston and Los Angeles from once to twice daily.
“Passenger volumes are on course to top 51 million by year end which should put us hot on the trail of Hong Kong International as the world’s third busiest airport for international passenger traffic,” said Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths. “By 2015 we expect to overtake London Heathrow for the number one spot when passenger numbers surpass 75 million.”
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