After an 80-day runway closure, Dubai International Airport reopened on Monday and is now working at its full capacity. Airlines are moving flights back to the airport, while the local Emirates is returning to its normal schedule, resuming all previously cut flights.
Repair works on the two runways at Dubai International were finalized yesterday as scheduled. From May 1, the runways closed consecutively and underwent refurbishment, which took almost three months to complete. The 80-day closure shrank the capacity by 26 percent, leading to a slightly decreased passenger traffic, compared to the rapid and steady monthly growth reported until then. Now with construction works completed and the upcoming Eid holidays, the airport will see rise in passenger numbers, according to Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports.
During the 80-day closure, many flights were moved to Sharjah International and to Dubai’s newest airport, Al Maktoum International. Most airlines have confirmed to return all their flights to Dubai International, including Jet Airways, flydubai, Malaysia Airlines, Royal Brunei, Air India, PAL Express, and East Horizon. Qatar Airways, Jazeera Airways and Gulf Air will shift only certain flights, at least for now.
The largest carrier in the Middle East, Emirates, which also cut flights to 41 routes, is now resuming its regular schedule. It is the world’s biggest user of Boeing 777 and the largest passenger aircraft, Airbus A380. The airline is also the biggest contributor to Dubai International expansion, bringing millions of international passengers to Dubai. Earlier this month, figures showed that it is the world’s busiest air hub for international passengers, at least according to the numbers covering the past twelve months through March 2014. By 2018, the airport aims to boost its capacity to 90 million passengers annually. Currently, the busiest airport on the planet is Atlanta with 94 million people last year. Eventually, Dubai International is expected to beat the competition and reach 160 million passengers per year.
