Dubai International Airport is heading for yet another successful year with passenger throughput of 21.33 million between January and September – a growth of more than 15 per cent. The airport handled some 18.52 million passengers during the corresponding period last year.

August was the busiest month for the airport so far this year with 2,645,727 passengers passing through, while just over 2.5 million and 2.4 million passengers were recorded in July and September respectively. Growth-wise however, January and April remained on top with a comparative growth of 17.12 per cent and 21.48 per cent respectively over the corresponding period in 2005.

During the period under review, Dubai Cargo Village handled a total of 1,034,438 tonnes of cargo as compared to 969,296 tonnes in the first nine months of 2005, an increase of 6.72 per cent. May was the most successful month for the Cargo Village with 124,366 tonnes of cargo handled as compared to 107,487 tonnes in May 2005, a 15.7 per cent increase.

Aircraft movement at Dubai International Airport also witnessed healthy growth of 8.49 per cent between January and September this year. The airport handled a total of 173,293 flights during the nine months ending September 2006, as against 159,738 flights in the corresponding period last year. March has so far remained the busiest period for the airport in terms of aircraft movement with over 20,358 flights, while February registered the highest growth in aircraft movement as compared to last year with an increase of over 13 per cent.

“Dubai International Airport has been growing at an average of 15 per cent annually since 2000, and we expect the growth rate to pick up pace and climb further up over the coming years,” HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Department of Civil Aviation and Chairman and CEO of Emirates Group, said.

He said that despite the rate and pace of growth, the airport has improved the quality of its services to passengers, who voted the facility the world’s best in a prominent poll recently. “It is the result of the dedication and perseverance of one and all at the Dubai Department of Civil Aviation and the staff at the airport. It is a reason for all of us to feel proud,” he commented.

Dubai continues to grow and has positioned itself as the most preferred business and leisure destination in the region, thereby increasing manifold the significance of the role Dubai International Airport will play in the nation’s overall development, Sheikh Ahmed said. The facility is connected to over 190 destinations through a network of 113 international airlines.

Sheikh Ahmed noted that considering the continuous growth in passenger throughout, the ongoing expansion project involving Concourse 2 and 3 and Terminal 3 appear appropriately timed. The expanded facility will be capable of handling a projected 60 million passengers by 2010.