Dubai World Central welcomed 845,046 passengers in its first full year of passenger operations, boosted daily by the arrival of a number of passenger carriers during the runway refurbishment programme at Dubai International from May to July, according to a recent report.

The year-end traffic report released by operator Dubai Airports said the annual figures were augmented by traffic during the fourth quarter, during which DWC handled 110,920 passengers.

The increased activity in passenger and freight operations at DWC propelled the number of annual aircraft movements by 91.6 per cent to 47,655 compared to 24,871 during 2013, it said.

Meanwhile, DWC recorded a 262.5 per cent surge in freight volumes to 758,371 tonnes last year as compared to 209,209 tonnes the previous year, at its Al Maktoum International Airport, said the report.

The year-end traffic report released by operator Dubai Airports attributes the surge to the completion of the shift of all freighter operators from Dubai to DWC by May, it said.

The airport registered robust growth in the fourth quarter with cargo volumes reaching 238, 520 tonnes, up 278.4 per cent as compared to the same period in 2013.

Freight volumes and passenger traffic at Al Maktoum International at Dubai World Central (DWC) reached record levels last year.
 
The airport recorded 11,687 aircraft movements during the fourth quarter, up 47 per cent compared to 7,948 during the corresponding period in 2013.
 
Paul Griffiths, chief executive officer of Dubai Airports, said: “It was a very important year for Al Maktoum International at Dubai World Central as it played a critical role during the runway refurbishment programme at Dubai International by accommodating a substantial volume of passenger traffic that was diverted from the main hub during the course of the project.

“The scale of DWC’s operations and the significance of its role will continue to grow in 2015, particularly as Dubai’s main hub for pure cargo operators, as airlines take advantage of the airport’s facilities, road feeder service to DXB and bonded link to the Jebel Ali port.” - TradeArabia News Service