Dubai International cemented its title as the world's busiest airport for international passengers in 2016, with a 7.2 percent increase in traveller numbers to 83.6 million, its operator said Tuesday. Dubai Airports said "near record numbers" in December had pushed annual traffic at the Gulf hub to 83,654,250 passengers, compared with 78,014,838 in 2015.
The airport, which serves as the home of Emirates airline, became the world's busiest in terms of international passenger traffic in 2014.
"With our new forecast for 89 million passengers in 2017, DXB is closing the gap on Atlanta and Beijing for the top spot in overall traffic," Dubai Airports chief executive Paul Griffiths in a statement.
The airport announced in February it was expanding its annual capacity to 90 million passengers with the opening of a new concourse.
Griffiths said at the time that Dubai Airports was expecting to receive 85 million passengers in 2016.
Situated on transcontinental air routes, Dubai is one of several Gulf-based airports to experience prodigious growth in recent years.
AFP text, photos, graphics and logos shall not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium. AFP shall not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions in any AFP content, or for any actions taken in consequence.
Business Recorder shall not be responsible or held liable for any error of fact, opinion or recommendation and also for any loss, financial or otherwise, resulting from business or trade or speculation conducted, or investments made, on the basis of the information posted here. Nor shall Business Recorder be held liable for any actions taken in consequence." >Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2017