#Dubai airport passenger traffic may fall 70% this year, CEO says | Reuters

Dubai airport passenger traffic may fall 70% this year, CEO says | Reuters

Dubai airport, the world’s busiest for international travel before the coronavirus crisis, could see passenger traffic fall by as much 70% this year, its chief executive said.

A wave of new infections around the world ahead of the typically busy Christmas and year-end travel season has brought further uncertainty to an industry already decimated by the pandemic.

Dubai airport could see passenger traffic fall 55-65% this year to 30-40 million passengers if it continues on its currently trajectory, CEO Paul Griffiths told Reuters.

The airport is handling around a million monthly passengers - more than it had projected - though Griffiths cautioned traffic could fall by as much as 70% this year.

Flights have gradually increased since a United Arab Emirates ban on most passenger services was lifted in June. Dubai state carrier Emirates is flying to around 100 destinations.