Dubai Airport remains world’s busiest for international travellers
- 05 Feb 2020
Gulf Today, Staff Reporter
There is always something about Dubai International Airport that catches the fancy of the tourist or visitor. Be it its wondrous state-of-the-art facilities including high-tech scanning of passengers and baggage, its fascinating self-check-in machines, its extremely courteous staff – there is no dearth of praise for its array of groundbreaking services.
Despite closing one of its runways for repairs last year and the ongoing grounding of the Boeing 737 Max, it has maintained its momentum of operations without inconveniencing the awestruck tourist.
Now, for the sixth year, Dubai International Airport carries the distinction of being the world's busiest for international travellers.
The airport, home to long-haul carrier emirates, saw 86.4 million passengers in 2019, 6 million more than second-place Heathrow Airport in London.
An earlier report said the achievement of the Emirate of Dubai to welcome one billion passengers across the five continents shows that it has entered into a new stage in strengthening its international presence.
According to the latest ranking of the International Civil Aviation Organisation, ICAO, on the world's ten most dynamic and attractive airports, Dubai International Airport, DXB, ranked third after Atlanta and Beijing airports.
International specialised reports show that the number of visitors to Dubai International Airport annually reaches more than 88 million, a number that was celebrated yesterday with the arrival of the billionth passenger, who was received by Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Airports.
Reports from international tourism organisations, including ICAO, indicate that the annual number of passengers around the world stood at 4.5 billion, and Dubai Airport was among the top airports, with its unique facilities coupled with entertainment and luxury.
The World Tourism Organisation has named ten most dynamic and crowded airports, with excellent facilities and services, as aesthetic addresses, and Dubai airport has been documented as the largest of its kind in the world in the provision of areas for duty-free shopping. At DXB one can stay for four days without leaving its premises.
The achievements of Dubai Airport were accomplished under the leadership of Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Airports, who is inspired by the country leadership's vision of investment.
With a total area of 670,000 square metres, Dubai Airport has six floors with the capacity to accommodate 90 million passengers, in 4,800 square metres of retail space, and 2,000 square metres of restaurants, and five hotels.