Dubai International Airport has surpassed London?s Heathrow Airport as the world?s busiest in terms of international passenger traffic
In 2014, Dubai International Airport registered a total of 70.45mn passengers (up 6.1 per cent on year) while London?s Heathrow Airport witnessed 68.09mn international travellers, said airport officials.
Airport authorities are now keen to add eight million passengers in 2015, and bring up the total to 79mn passengers by the end of the year.
In addition, a new facility called Concourse D will be opened that would facilitate the projected growth, stated Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports.
Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman of Dubai Airports, said, ?This historic milestone is the culmination of more than five decades of double-digit average growth that were inspired by the vision of the late Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum. The shared goal is to make Dubai a global centre of aviation and we are nearing that goal thanks to an open skies policy, a friendly business environment, Dubai?s growing attractiveness as a centre for trade, commerce and tourism, growing network connectivity due to the rapid expansion of Emirates and flydubai and timely investment in aviation infrastructure.?
The fall in crude oil prices is expected to lead to fare reduction, eventually encouraging more passengers to fly to the UAE. In addition, more airlines are likely to be added to the aerotropolis Dubai World Central (DWC) to boost aviation activity.
