Passenger numbers quadruple at DWC’s Al Maktoum International in the second quarter

At current capacity, DWC can handle between 5 million and 7 million passengers and 600,000 tonnes of cargo a year.

Dubai World Central reported that 475,992 people passed through the Al Maktoum International Airport during the quarter. Ali Haider / EPA

Passenger numbers quadrupled at Al Maktoum International at Dubai World Central in the second quarter as it handled more than 600 flights per week during runway repairs at Dubai International Airport.

DWC reported that 475,992 people passed through the airport during the quarter, up from 102,137 passengers in the first quarter.

The work on Dubai International Airport’s two runways concluded on July 20 after 80 days.

A few flights operated by the budget carriers flydubai and Jazeera Airways, as well as those from Malaysian Airlines, Royal Brunei, Qatar Airways, Gulf Air, PAL Express and Afghanistan's East Horizon moved to DWC during the maintenance period.

On July 21, flydubai moved all its flights that were operating at DWC back to Dubai International Airport as scheduled, a spokesman said.

Wizz Air, Gulf Air, Jazeera Airways and Qatar Airways continue to operate from DWC.

The month of June was also one of the busiest for Middle East airlines, which together carried 10.8 per cent more passengers year-on-year. It is the largest growth for any region globally driven by demand in premium class travel, according to IATA, an industry body. While capacity increased by 5.9 per cent, the load factor went up by 3.7 percentage points to 82.1 per cent.

Regional air cargo volume grew by 7 per cent in June as carriers expanded services to fast-growing emerging markets, such as Uganda and Mexico, according to IATA. Regional cargo capacity expanded 8.6 per cent year-on-year.

At DWC, cargo volumes also rose sharply after Emirates SkyCargo moved all freighter operations to the new airport permanently in May.

The airport handled 199,751 tonnes in the second quarter, up from 48,955 tonnes in the same period last year. In the first half, the volume was 276,567 tonnes, up from 102,929 tonnes a year earlier.

Freighter services from Cathay Pacific, Qatar Airways, Ethiopian Airlines and Luxembourg’s Cargolux also moved to DWC last year.

The number of aircraft arrivals and departures at DWC also went up in the second quarter to 13,697 movements, up 123 per cent from the 6,133 movements a year earlier. In the first half, the number reached 23,662, compared with 10,237 last year.

At current capacity, DWC can handle between 5 million and 7 million passengers and 600,000 tonnes of cargo per year.

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