Dubai: Dubai Airports’ CEO Paul Griffiths is optimistic the Emirate’s main hub is well placed to hit the 100 million passenger mark by 2027 as the global aviation industry overcomes aircraft supply chain challenges by the end of 2026.
“I think the growth over the next couple of years is going to be fairly steady because of the difficulties in delivering the additional aircraft capacity,” he told Gulf News.
Many airlines were forced to remove their fleets from service during the pandemic, and both major manufacturers, Airbus and Boeing, are struggling with supply chain issues, which are impacting delivery schedules. As a result, airlines aren’t getting the additional capacity they anticipated. “We expect these issues to be resolved by late 2026 or early 2027, and we forecast reaching 100 million passengers in 2027, which will be a significant milestone for us,” he explained.
On Wednesday, Dubai International Airport (DXB) reported record passenger numbers of 44.9 million for the first -half of 2024 (21.8 million in Q2), growing 8 per cent year-on-year.
“We have a very optimistic outlook for the remainder of the year, and we are on track to break records with 91.8 million annual passengers forecasted for 2024,” Griffiths said. The airport operator had earlier projected that it would handle 91 million passengers this year, exceeding the previous record of 89.1 million set in 2018. DXB home carriers Emirates and flydubai have placed multi-million dollar orders for widebody aircraft, requiring space to accommodate their growing fleet and their expansion plans.
‘Will move to DWC as DXB gets busier’
To accommodate the growing traffic, Griffiths also stated that plans are in place to move some traffic to Dubai Airport’s existing passenger terminal at Dubai World Central (DWC) in Dubai South as the DXB terminal in Garhoud comes under pressure of capacity.
“The transition between the two airports is a very important subject, but it really depends on how it develops. At some stage, DXB will start to come under pressure of capacity. However, we have about 30 million spare passenger capacity at DWC with the current terminal and runway. So, we will be able to move things across as DXB gets busier and busier,” he explained.
GCC - 15.4%
Eastern Europe: 14.3%
Africa - 9%
Australasia - 6.6%
Western Europe: 6.5%
East Asia: 16.3%
GCC: 15.4%
Eastern Europe: 14.3%
Africa: 9%
Australasia: 6.6%
Western Europe: 6.5%
Detailed designs for DWC
As the passenger numbers grow unequivocally, Griffiths said airport authorities are also working hard to finalise the detailed designs for the proposed $35 billion passenger terminal at DWC set to open in the next decade.
Commenting on how close authorities are to completing the detailed design phase, Griffiths said, “We are obviously still in review with the design because we’ve got to make absolutely sure that the final design that we end up with mirrors the desire to create really good customer service.”
He added, “We have got to overcome some of those mistakes that airport designers make, which is that when they amplify the capacity, they amplify all the wrong things (like creating greater queues and longer walking distances).”
According to Griffiths, all these ‘design flaws’ put travellers under time pressure. “We want to make absolutely sure that the design meets the tough operational criteria that Dubai Airports will be specifying,” he told Gulf News.
Griffith said that upon completion of the detailed design phase, the government department responsible for tendering the works will ‘put its tender out’.
Refurbishment plans for DXB
Multiple refurbishment plans are underway at Dubai International Airport, including an expansion programme for Terminal 2 (near DAFZA) and a “refreshed” look for the Arrivals terminal at Terminal 1.
"We are reconfiguring internally to provide more seating space at Terminal 2. We are very conscious that the major parts of the growth has been on flights to and from T2 and of course, it is a small terminal, so it does need the additional capacity enhancement. So we are working this year to accelerate the growth and refurbishment program for T2," he explained.
Griffiths also mentioned a refurbishment plan for the Dubai International Hotel. “We are planning a rebranding and refurbishment programme for Dubai International Hotel because that’s a competitive product. Plans are being drawn up, and we are obviously reconfiguring some of the hotel space to make it more relevant for the modern traveller.”
New developments include colour-coded car parks for more straightforward navigation, an advanced queue management system, and improvements in the VIP check-in area – Al Majlis.
New machines for baggage screening
Dubai Airports has also acquired machines for passenger hand baggage screening. “This advancement means passengers won’t need to remove laptops, liquids, or other items from their bags. Instead, they can place their entire bag through a single screening process, which will significantly enhance convenience and streamline the process,” explained Griffiths.
Geopolitical challenges
The aviation veteran also said that regional geopolitical tensions have not impacted DXB’s H1-2024 numbers, and flight disruptions in the MENA region have directed traffic to compensatory growth markets. Griffiths said that India, Saudi Arabia, and the UK remain DXB’s most popular origins and destinations.
