Dubai International Airport rebounds with 5.75m customers in Q1

Figures show that both customer numbers and cargo volumes are on the up

Dubai International airport (DXB) ended the first quarter of 2021 on a relatively positive note, registering a gradual but steady recovery in both customer numbers and cargo volumes. In the first three months of the year, DXB served 63% of the destinations in 89% of the countries on 74% of the airlines compared to before the Covid-19 pandemic.

Boosted by passenger numbers breaching the two-million-mark in March, DXB’s passenger volumes for the first quarter this year reached 5.75 million. This translates to a contraction of 67.8% compared to Q1 of 2020, which was largely unaffected by the pandemic.

Cargo, which has shown more resilience compared to the passenger segment throughout the pandemic, continued its strong recovery despite the reduction in belly-hold capacity. DXB handled a total of 550,811 tonnes of airfreight during the first three months of 2021, a year-on-year increase of 3.2%. Total flight movements during the first quarter totalled 50,176, down 38.3% from last year, reflecting the impact of the pandemic on airline operations.

Commenting on DXB’s Q1 performance, Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths said: “Whilst passenger numbers for the first quarter remained significantly below the monthly volumes we handled before March 2020, in the context of the current global situation they are very encouraging and reflect the consolidation phase in our business recovery.  Despite the ongoing challenges to air travel as the world continues to battle against the impact of the global pandemic, as an important hub, DXB will continue to play its role of enabling mobility and connectivity and contribute to the much needed social and economic recovery globally.”

For more information, visit www.dubaiairports.ae