Dubai Airport: Passenger traffic drops 70 percent amidst pandemic
What's the story
Dubai International Airport, the world's busiest for international travel, saw passenger traffic being pushed down by 70 percent in 2020 compared to the previous year, its CEO announced on Monday.
While the east-west transit point started to see an uptick in traffic after Emirates resumed its routes last summer, the airport's 2020 passenger load of 25.9 million is still a trickle compared to 2019.
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This was the most difficult time for travel industry: Griffiths
"In the past year, we have witnessed the most difficult circumstances the travel industry has ever faced," said Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports, adding that the 2020 figures are reflective of that testing environment, but also come with an element of hope and confidence.
Losses incurred
Shut shops, slashed schedules hit business badly
For months as the travel industry collapsed worldwide, Dubai's massive airport, which saw 86.4 million passengers in 2019, became a ghost-town of shuttered shops. Airlines slashed their schedules and flights declined by more than 50 percent with less than 80 percent of seats filled.
Recovery gained momentum in December as Dubai promoted itself as a pandemic-friendly spot for tourists fleeing tough restrictions back home.
Travel policy
Dubai tested all passengers on arrival in bid to reopen
In December alone, passenger volumes surpassed industry expectations at 2.19 million. Israelis flocked to the United Arab Emirates after a breakthrough normalization deal. Lockdown-weary travelers poured into the city to celebrate New Year's eve.
Underpinning Dubai's reopening since last July has been an aggressive coronavirus testing campaign, with visitors welcome from anywhere as long as they get tested on arrival and sometimes before departure.
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UAE's swift vaccination drive fuels hope of a quick revival
"The airport is betting on a swift roll-out of coronavirus vaccines to encourage people to travel, along with contactless and thermal imaging technology. The UAE has launched the world's second-fastest coronavirus vaccination drive, with 50 doses administered per 100 residents as of Monday," Griffiths said.
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Airlines are facing an array of issues
Although overall demand is expected to rise this year, airlines are showing caution on international routes. Wide-body jets used for long-haul flights, like Emirates' iconic fleet of double-decker Airbus A380s, stand idle.
Vaccination campaigns have sputtered worldwide and concerns have risen over more transmissible virus variants. Ever-changing quarantine requirements across the world have thrown itineraries into disarray.
COVID-19 cases
A surge in cases has forced imposition of restrictions
Meanwhile, the UAE is struggling with a major surge in coronavirus cases, prompting countries to halt flights to Dubai and the city's government to impose restrictions that may disrupt the economy.
The United Kingdom banned all direct flights to Dubai last month, freezing the world's busiest international air route. London was ranked the top destination city for Dubai's airport last year, with 1.15 million customers.
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About Dubai International Airport
Dubai International Airport surpassed London Heathrow as the world's busiest airport for international traffic in 2014. It has retained the crown ever since, with 90 airlines flying into the commercial entrepot. Last year, Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris overtook Heathrow as Europe's busiest airport.