DUBAI: Dubai International Airport, the world’s busiest international hub, reports a 66% drop in passenger numbers in March as the United States and Israeli war on Iran severely disrupts air traffic across the Middle East.
The figures dragged down the airport’s first-quarter passenger traffic to 2.5 million, down 21% from the same period last year, the airport said in a statement yesterday.
Dubai’s main airport, which had to shut down several times due to drone incidents in its vicinity, is looking at scaling up operations after the United Arab Emirates lifted restrictions on travel to the country.
The company didn’t specify forecasts for the year but said it remains underpinned by strong underlying demand.
The experience gained by recent challenges “will enable us to accommodate returning demand as capacity is restored, reinforcing Dubai International Airport’s role as a leading global hub,” chief executive officer Paul Griffiths said in the statement.
India continued to be the airport’s largest market with 2.5 million guests, followed by Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom and Pakistan. London remained the hub’s busiest destination city with 752,000 travellers, followed by Mumbai and Jeddah.
Meanwhile, development of the emirate’s Dubai World Central airport continues to progress. — Bloomberg
