Dubai International’s passenger traffic up 13.1 per cent in September

By BA Staff

Courtesy of Wikipedia

Passenger traffic at Dubai International, the world’s second busiest airport for international passengers, rose 13.1 per cent in September, according to the latest traffic statistics issued yesterday by operator Dubai Airports.

Passenger traffic in September totaled 5,407,326, an increase of 13.1 per cent compared to 4,780,394 during the corresponding month in 2012. Year to date traffic is up 16 per cent to 49,379,165 compared to 42,565,340 recorded during the first nine months of 2012. Aircraft movements totaled 30,746 during September, an increase of 10.2 per cent from the 27,909 recorded during the same period last year. Passengers per aircraft movement in September came in at 193.

All regions recorded positive growth in September with the exception of South America (-6.9 per cent).  Among the strongest markets in terms of percentage* passenger growth were Eastern Europe (+65.1 per cent), driven by flydubai expansion to multiple destinations in the region and Emirates’ new service to Warsaw. Passenger traffic to and from Australasia rose 38.6 per cent as a result of Emirates' expansion and Qantas’ new operation connecting Australia and London through Dubai. On a country level, Australia (+41.7 per cent), France (+23.7 per cent), Saudi Arabia (+22.4 per cent), Thailand (+21.8 per cent) and the UK (+21.7 per cent) saw the largest increases.

In terms of overall passenger numbers, Western Europe traffic took over as the top market thanks to robust growth (+14.8 per cent) during the month. AGCC came in second thanks to 15 per cent year-on-year passenger traffic growth. The Indian subcontinent, which took third spot, continued to show positive growth (+9.8 per cent) due to the expansion of several Indian carriers including Indigo, Spice Jet and Air India Express.

Air freight volumes rose 1.8 per cent in September with volumes of 196,823 tonnes compared to 193,261 recorded during the same period last year. Year-to-date cargo traffic totalled 1,785,539 tonnes, up 6.6 per cent from the 1,674,997 tonnes shipped during the same period last year.

Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports said:

“Passenger and cargo traffic growth continue unabated and Dubai International is on track to eclipse our projections for 65.4 million passengers and 2.7 million tonnes of cargo. With the opening of our new passenger terminal at Al Maktoum International at Dubai World Central, and the ongoing expansion at Dubai International, Dubai’s aviation infrastructure continues to make it an attractive destination for tourism, trade and commerce.”

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Regulator certifies Dubai World Central for passenger operations

By BA Staff

The General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), the sole regulator of all licensed airfields within the UAE, has certified Al Maktoum International Airport at Dubai World Central (DWC) for passenger operations after assessing and confirming full compliance of the aerodrome with its stringent requirements.

In a letter issued by GCAA’s Air Navigation and Aerodrome department yesterday, the regulator accepted the implementation process for full passenger operations at the new airport and acknowledged the “hard work and commitment of Dubai Airports in achieving the status of full aerodrome operations”.

Dubai Airports Airside Operations staff work closely with the GCAA to make sure that operations at both Dubai International Airport (DXB) and Dubai World Central are fully compliant with the highest professional international standards and regulations set out in federal law.

Jamal Zaal, Vice President of Airside Operations at Dubai Airports, had this to say:

This is a welcomed and critical step forward in the process of preparing DWC for full passenger operations. We will continue to press ahead with trials that test every system, process and piece of equipment in the new terminal, be it signage, gates or boarding procedures to make sure the new facility is ready to accept passengers on October 27.

Facility preparations culminate in advanced passenger trails on October 12, 2013 where the full passenger journey through the new terminal will be tested by some 1,000 members of the travelling public to identify any areas for improvement before its doors open for business. An advanced passenger trial using employees will take place in early October as a dress rehearsal for the public trials.

Paul Griffiths, CEO, Dubai Airports, had this to say about the support received:

As was the case with Concourse A trials last year, the support from volunteers has been tremendous which only goes to prove that in Dubai, people are passionate about aviation.

The new passenger terminal building is designed to accommodate five to seven million passengers per year. When completed, Dubai World Central will be the largest airport in the world with five runways and capacity for 160 million passengers and 12 million tonnes of cargo, though Beijing is building an airport that may soon surpass those figures

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Dubai Airports invites food and beverage, and retail service bids for Concourse D

Dubai Airports is inviting bids from food and beverage operators and selective retail-service providers for the award of concessions in Concourse D at Dubai International. Construction of Concourse D is well under-way with the facility’s opening slated for 2015.

The opportunity is available to food and beverage providers in the categories of popular restaurants, 24-hour casual dining, licensed bars, coffee shops, speciality concepts and fast food. The process also seeks to appoint providers of financial services and selective retail services (non-Duty Free).

Customer-facing services have become an increasingly important part of Dubai Airports’ non-aeronautical revenue, as Dubai International’s expanding network of destinations and rapidly growing passenger numbers allow popular brands to target a unique and cosmopolitan audience. Dubai International connects customers to over 260 destinations on six continents on more than 140 airlines. Passenger numbers are expected to surpass 66 million in 2013 and exceed 78 million in 2015 when Concourse D opens.

Once complete, Concourse D will be home to the more than 100 international airlines that currently use Concourse C and will serve up to 18 million passengers annually. It will be linked to a completely refurbished Terminal 1 by an elevated rail system which will offer transfer times between the two facilities of less than two minutes. The new concourse will elevate the passenger experience by shortening queuing times to allow passengers more time to relax and enjoy a wide range of top-flight retail and F and B experiences.

Tender documents are available for purchase by interested vendors, at AED 1,000 per tender from the Commercial Unit offices in Dubai International, Terminal 1 departures. Further details are available online.

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