Dubai International Airport (DXB) welcomed 41.3 million passengers in the first half of 2019, maintaining its position as the world’s largest international airport by traffic volume.
However, the closure of one of DXB’s two runways between 16 April and 30 May for a complete rehabilitation programme reduced the airport’s capacity, contributing to a decline in traffic of 5.6 per cent year-on-year.
A total of 41,277,749 customers travelled through DXB but the closure of the southern runway for refurbishment halved the hub’s runway capacity leading to a reduction of 32 per cent in passenger flights over a 45-day period.
India remained DXB’s top destination country by passenger numbers, with traffic for the first half reaching 5.7 million customers – propelled mainly by top city destinations Mumbai and Delhi. Saudi Arabia was number two on the list with 3.1 million customers, followed closely by the UK with 2.8 million customers. Other destination countries of note include Pakistan (1.9 million customers), the US (1.5 million), and China (1.2 million).
DXB said a total of 35 million bags (-3.9 per cent) passed through the airport’s advanced 175 km long baggage system during the first half.
