Dubai Airport to become world’s largest next year

Dubai International will become world’s busiest airport for good next year, according to an aviation think-tank.

Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (Capa) said short-term effects will see Dubai Airport slip behind London’s Heathrow Airport for the full year in 2014, but the upgrades will ensure that the emirate has the infrastructure and capacity required not only to become the largest international airport by 2015, but also maintain that position.

Led by strong growth of local carriers Emirates and flydubai, Dubai airport became world’s busiest in Q1 2014 by overtaking London’s Heathrow Airport. But the passenger traffic will drop because airlines curtailed their flights due to Dubai Airport’s closure of two runways for the 80-day maintenance, which commenced on May 1, 2014.

The number of passengers passing through Heathrow Airport reached 72.3 million last year while Dubai International handled 66.43 million passengers.

Dubai Airport handled 18.36 million international passengers over the first three months of 2014, while Heathrow Airport handled a total of 16 million passengers. Dubai had growth of 11.4 per cent, while London Heathrow traffic grew just 0.5 per cent for the period.

However, the Dubai Airport will regain its status of world’s busiest for the whole year next year – for good – when airport will have full operations and flights return.