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Dubai's airport operator expects a “massive influx” of travellers as Covid-19 restrictions ease and the emirate hosts global events, anticipating passenger traffic at Dubai International Airport (DXB) will reach at least 56 million in 2022, its chief executive said.
The airport expects to handle 27 million passengers this year, 4.2 per cent more than in 2020 and 69 per cent below pre-pandemic levels, as the emirate hosts the Expo world fair in October, the Dubai Airshow in November and the UAE's 50th anniversary celebrations in December, Paul Griffiths, Dubai Airports' chief executive, told The National. The cooler weather during the winter months and established travel corridors are also expected to boost visitor numbers.
“We're bound to get a massive influx of business and we're braced for a very, very significant rebound,” Mr Griffiths said.
“Once the world starts to open up, the importance of Dubai as a transfer hub will once again surge to the fore and I imagine we will see a pretty sharp recovery because so many people are desperate to travel again that they are very keen indeed to make plans as soon as it's clear there are no restrictions.”
Dubai International remained the world's busiest airport for international passengers in 2020, holding the title for seven consecutive years, according to annual traffic rankings by the Airports Council International in April. Global air travel demand is recovering slowly from the Covid-19 pandemic, driven by rapid vaccination drives around the world, though travel restrictions and more contagious virus variants have hobbled the rebound.
While Dubai's passenger traffic figures are “realistic forecasts” that balance sustainable operations with cash flow, the airport operator said it is also “cautiously optimistic” about potentially exceeding its projections for 2022.
“If the world continues to open up and the optimism we're seeing now continues to be founded on a better outlook then we could exceed that,” Mr Griffiths said.
Travel restrictions to the UK and from India, the UAE's top source markets, were relaxed last week. The British government removed the UAE from its red list and upgraded it to amber, while the Emirates eased some restrictions on passengers flying from six countries, including India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Nigeria and Uganda.
“Although coming off the UK red list was a very positive thing for us, we will not rest until we have completely removed all the travel restrictions around the world in a very safe and responsible way and people have got the freedom to travel as they have in the past,” he said. “This is incredibly important not just for passenger mobility and the aviation industry, but for the social and economic recovery of the world.”
The UK's amber list remains “quite restrictive” for passengers who must still quarantine for five days on arrival and the UAE will continue to negotiate for an upgrade to the green list.
“I'm hoping progress will be swift. We've got some discussions this week which will hopefully get us to where we need to be,” the chief executive said.
The airport also expects a passenger surge following the easing of travel restrictions with India.
“India is our number one market and the opening of restrictions is really good,” he said.
In addition, travel corridors between the UAE and 10 other countries such as Greece, Spain and France, are “beneficial” in boosting travel, he said, noting corridors with Italy and Seychelles have led to full flights to those destinations.
To address the anticipated rebound in travel demand, Dubai Airports will be “selectively hiring again” after reducing its workforce by 34 per cent due to the pandemic, Mr Griffiths said.
The airport operator — which will be “cautious” in its hiring approach until it is “sure and confident” of the passenger traffic figures — has entered into new arrangements to outsource some of its staff, truncate the lines of authority and give employees more authority, according to Mr Griffiths. Any increase in the workforce depends on traffic figures, he said.
The airport, which reopened Terminal 1 in June following a 15-month closure due to the pandemic, is seeing its runways operating at full capacity. While Terminals 1, 2 and 3, as well as Concourses B, C and D are currently operational, it is reviewing traffic figures and may reopen Concourse A at about the 60 million passenger mark, or even sooner, to maintain a higher level of customer service, he said.
Mr Griffiths said airport retail, restaurant and bar spending have “never been higher” as travel-deprived passengers are “taking the opportunity to indulge” in shopping at the airport.
Spending per head at the airport's massive retail outlets has significantly increased compared with 2019 levels, Mr Griffiths said.
The airport handled 10.6 million passengers during the first half of 2021, a 40.9 per cent year-on-year contraction, due to travel restrictions at its key source markets, it said on Wednesday. Passenger volumes in the second quarter totalled 4.9 million.
Mr Griffiths said it was a “disappointment” that other countries change their travel guidelines to become so “complex and restrictive” that a lot of DXB’s major markets in Western Europe and Australasia were closed while the UAE has opened its borders to more countries.
India continued to be DXB’s top destination country by traffic volume in the first half, with passenger numbers exceeding 1.9 million, followed by Pakistan, Russia and Egypt. Other destination countries of note were Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia and the US. The top three cities in terms of traffic were Addis Ababa, Cairo and Moscow.
Cargo continued to outperform passenger operations. DXB recorded 571,568 tonnes of freight in the second quarter, propelling first-half volumes to 1.1 million tonnes, a year-on-year increase of 27.7 per cent.
Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD)
What is THAAD?
It is considered to be the US' most superior missile defence system.
Production:
It was first created in 2008.
Speed:
THAAD missiles can travel at over Mach 8, so fast that it is hypersonic.
Abilities:
THAAD is designed to take out projectiles, namely ballistic missiles, as they are on their downward trajectory towards their target, otherwise known as the "terminal phase".
Purpose:
To protect high-value strategic sites, such as airfields or population centres.
Range:
THAAD can target projectiles both inside and outside of the Earth's atmosphere, at an altitude of 93 miles above the Earth's surface.
Creators:
Lockheed Martin was originally granted the contract to develop the system in 1992. Defence company Raytheon sub-contracts to develop other major parts of the system, such as ground-based radar.
UAE and THAAD:
In 2011, the UAE became the first country outside of the US to buy two THAAD missile defence systems. It then deployed them in 2016, becoming the first Gulf country to do so.
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
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Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick
Hometown: Cologne, Germany
Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
Favourite dessert: Umm Ali with dark camel milk chocolate flakes
Favourite hobby: Football
Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EQureos%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EUAE%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ELaunch%20year%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2021%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E33%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESoftware%20and%20technology%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%243%20million%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Armies of Sand
By Kenneth Pollack (Oxford University Press)
21 Lessons for the 21st Century
Yuval Noah Harari, Jonathan Cape
Results
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 80,000 (Turf) 1,400m. Winner: Al Ajeeb W’Rsan, Pat Dobbs (jockey), Jaci Wickham (trainer).
5.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 80,000 (T) 1,400m racing. Winner: Mujeeb, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel.
6pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 90,000 (T) 2,200m. Winner: Onward, Connor Beasley, Abdallah Al Hammadi.
6.30pm: Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Jewel Crown Prep Rated Conditions (PA) Dh 125,000 (T) 2,200m. Winner: Somoud, Richard Mullen, Jean de Roualle.
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh 70,000 (T) 1,600m. Winner: AF Arrab, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel.
7.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh 90,000 (T) 1,400m. Winner: Irish Freedom, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
Pad Man
Dir: R Balki
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Sonam Kapoor, Radhika Apte
Three-and-a-half stars
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Tesalam Aleik
Abdullah Al Ruwaished
(Rotana)
Fixtures
Opening day Premier League fixtures for August 9-11
August 9
Liverpool v Norwich 11pm
August 10
West Ham v Man City 3.30pm
Bournemouth v Sheffield Utd 6pm
Burnley v Southampton 6pm
C Palace v Everton 6pm
Leicester v Wolves 6pm
Watford v Brighton 6pm
Tottenham v Aston Villa 8.30pm
August 11
Newcastle v Arsenal 5pm
Man United v Chelsea 7.30pm
Squads
Pakistan: Sarfaraz Ahmed (c), Babar Azam (vc), Abid Ali, Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Sohail, Mohammad Hasnain, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Shadab Khan, Usman Shinwari, Wahab Riaz
Sri Lanka: Lahiru Thirimanne (c), Danushka Gunathilaka, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Avishka Fernando, Oshada Fernando, Shehan Jayasuriya, Dasun Shanaka, Minod Bhanuka, Angelo Perera, Wanindu Hasaranga, Lakshan Sandakan, Nuwan Pradeep, Isuru Udana, Kasun Rajitha, Lahiru Kumara
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
Specs
Engine: 2-litre
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 255hp
Torque: 273Nm
Price: Dh240,000
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Xpanceo
Started: 2018
Founders: Roman Axelrod, Valentyn Volkov
Based: Dubai, UAE
Industry: Smart contact lenses, augmented/virtual reality
Funding: $40 million
Investor: Opportunity Venture (Asia)
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Afcon 2019
SEMI-FINALS
Senegal v Tunisia, 8pm
Algeria v Nigeria, 11pm
Matches are live on BeIN Sports
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Suggested picnic spots
Abu Dhabi
Umm Al Emarat Park
Yas Gateway Park
Delma Park
Al Bateen beach
Saadiyaat beach
The Corniche
Zayed Sports City
Dubai
Kite Beach
Zabeel Park
Al Nahda Pond Park
Mushrif Park
Safa Park
Al Mamzar Beach Park
Al Qudrah Lakes
