Dubai international airport

In the United Arab Emirates, Dubai’s ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has endorsed a US$7.8bn airport and airspace expansion programme, which will boost capacity at Dubai International from 60m to 90m passengers per year by 2018.

The move comes in response to a 10-year traffic forecast for Dubai International (DXB) and Dubai World Central (DWC), anticipating an annual increase in international passenger and cargo traffic of 7.2 per cent and 6.7 per cent respectively.

Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman of Dubai Airports and president of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, commented: “The combination of rallying tourism, Dubai’s proximity to the emerging economies of India and China, and the emirates’ established role as a trading hub, is together expected to drive traffic growth and further elevate Dubai’s status as a global centre for aviation.'

By 2020, an estimated 4m tonnes of airfreight is expected to pass through Dubai's airports. Cargo capacity will therefore be augmented, with a 30,000m2 expansion of the cargo mega terminal.