UAE. Dubai International (DXB) passenger traffic reached 5.75 million in the first three months of 2021, down by -67.8% year-on-year. Dubai Airports said the performance was “relatively positive”, with passenger numbers passing 2 million in March and with a “steady recovery” over the period.
By the end of Q1 2021, DXB served 63% of the destinations in 89% of the countries on 74% of the airlines compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic.
India, which is traditionally a strong market for the UAE, retained its position as DXB’s top destination country with traffic for Q1 reaching 1,384,448 – propelled by travel to and from New Delhi and Mumbai. Pakistan ranked second with 454,294 customers, followed by Bangladesh (221,027) and Russia (196,890). Egypt and Turkey also performed well. The top three cities were New Delhi (262,035 customers), Dhaka (178,593) and Addis Ababa (169,715).
Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths said: “While 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.”
Dubai International led the international traffic rankings for 2020 with 25.8 million passengers, despite the global downturn.
