Passenger traffic at Dubai International Airport (DXB) fell 31.3 percent year-on-year in the first six months of the year, as the Iran war triggered widespread disruption across Middle Eastern airspace. The airport handled 31.5 million passengers during the period, down from roughly 46 million in the same period last year.
The figures come from data released Wednesday by Dubai Airports, the company that operates the airport. The company said the first half of this year was one of the most challenging periods in DXB’s history, with both passenger and aircraft traffic falling due to regional airspace restrictions and extensive flight schedule changes.
Since the Iran war began, flight cancellations, rescheduling and rerouting have increased sharply across various Middle Eastern routes. The impact has been felt at Dubai, one of the Gulf region’s busiest international airports. Rising fuel prices during the same period have also had a ripple effect on the global aviation sector beyond the Middle East.
However, signs of a gradual recovery in passenger traffic emerged in the second quarter. DXB handled 3.5 million passengers in April, rising to 4.5 million in May and reaching 5 million in June. Total passengers for the second quarter stood at 13 million, down 42 percent from the same period last year.
Aircraft movements also declined. DXB recorded a total of 150,600 aircraft movements in the first six months, down 32.1 percent year-on-year. Cargo volume fell 28.7 percent over the same period, to 751,340 tonnes.
Although international airlines took a cautious approach on various Middle Eastern routes because of the war, they are now gradually restoring flights and capacity. Dubai Airports expects passenger traffic to increase further in the second half of the year. Chief Executive Paul Griffiths said passenger demand is responding quickly as capacity begins to return.
Before the war began, DXB had been projected to handle roughly 100 million passengers this year. But given the scale of the setback in the first half, reaching that target now looks uncertain.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report