Aviation Investment to Hit AED132 Billion
Dubai’s total investment in the aviation sector is poised to reach AED132 billion.
The Dubai Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) authorities says Dubai International Airport would be capable of handling 70 million passengers when the current $4.1 billion expansion involving the construction of Concourse 2 and 3, along with the new underground Terminal 3 is complete.
In addition, another AED30 billion is being invested in the development of Jebel Ali Airport City over an area of 140 square kilometers. Dubai airport offers connections to 165 destinations and is used by 111 airlines.
Dubai will overtake Heathrow Airport in passenger traffic by 2011 at the current growth rate. In 2005, the airport recorded 14.4 per cent growth in passenger traffic to 24.7 million, 19.9 per cent in cargo volume and 10.9 per cent in aircraft movements. This year, while the passenger traffic will rise to 30 million, aircraft movements will rise to 240,000 from 217000, and cargo volume will surge from 1.3 million tonnes to three million tonnes.
Dubai airport handled 52.8 percent of the UAE’s flight movements in the first quarter of this year. The Q1 2006 recorded 104,434 flight movements, up from 97,192 in the same quarter last year.