Dubai Airport handles record passenger numbers

Dubai International Airport experienced its busiest ever six-month period this year, with 18.46 million people passing through the gateway.

The passenger traffic flow, which was recorded between January and June, represented an increase of 13.8 per cent on the first half of 2007.

Some 100,000 travellers passed through the main airport in Dubai every day for the first six months of the year, adding up to an average of three million passengers a month.

These figures represent continued success for Dubai International Airport. It was already the world's fastest growing airport in 2007 with 34.34 million passengers and looks set to exceed that number this year.

Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, president of Dubai's Civil Aviation Authority and chairman of Dubai Airports, said: "Dubai International is the main gateway to the city of Dubai which is recognised as a global commerce and tourism hub.

"The growth of the city and that of the airport are entwined in a directly proportional relationship."

By 2017, Dubai International Airport will be joined by Al Maktoum International Airport. At ten times the size of Dubai's existing hub, the new gateway to the United Arab Emirates is set to be the world's largest passenger and cargo airport.

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