Dubai Airports target 126 m passengers by 2020

The increasing number of tourist visiting the emirate has pushed airport authorities to revise their target figures.

Paul Griffiths, chief executive officer of Dubai Airports recently stated: “Our revised projections for 2020 now exceed 126 million passengers. By 2030, we expect to have around 200 m passengers traffic.”

The conference has been organised by the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai under the patronage of HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman of Dubai Airports and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group.

As per current figures, Al Maktoum International Airport in DWC has five to seven million passengers capacity and saw 845,046 passengers passing pass in 2014. DWC will have a passenger capacity of 220 m on completion of its second phase. The first phase of US$32 bn dollar expansion of DWC will enable the facility to accommodate 120 m passengers on completion over the next six to eight years.

The US$7.8 bn investment will to lead to ultimate capacity of 100 m passengers at Dubai International. Last year, it recorded 70.4 m passengers, an increase of 6.1% and this year expected to handle 79 m passengers.

By 2030, the aviation’s contribution to the Dubai economy will have increased to US$88 bn, more than three times the 2013 figure.

He further added: “The final piece of undeveloped infrastructure space within the airport is nearing completion. This year, we will open Concourse D. The facility with 17 additional gates will be able to handle 15 m passengers and will be linked to Terminal 1 via Automated People Mover (APM).”