Dubai airport targets 28m passengers this year, CEO says

Dubai’s state airport operator is hoping for a “flood” of travelers as the coronavirus pandemic eases, targeting passenger traffic through Dubai International Airport to grow 8% to 28m this year as demand rebuilds. Terminal 1 is reopening this Thursday after a 15-month closure. Operations were consolidated through Terminals 2 and 3 last year as the pandemic took hold. "People think it will trickle back. I don't believe that. I believe it will be an absolute flood of demand when people get the confidence to travel again," Dubai Airports Chief Executive Paul Griffiths said Sunday. The airport, one of the world's busiest, could see over 40m passengers this year if it was "really, really lucky," Griffiths said, though it was likely to be somewhere between 24.7m and 34.3m. "We're comfortable with that mid-range of about 28 (million)." Terminal 1 has an annual passenger capacity of 18m, while the entire airport can handle up to 100m. Griffiths estimated the terminal's reopening would result in 3,500 additional jobs at the airport, including those working in retail, hospitality, security and immigration.<br/>