DUBAI : DXB welcomed 31.5 million passengers between January and June, down from 46 million during the same period last year, Dubai Airports said on Wednesday. Passenger numbers in the second quarter stood at 13 million.
Aircraft movements also declined significantly, falling 32.1% year-on-year to 150,600 during the first six months of the year.
The conflict, which began on February 28, has severely disrupted the global aviation industry, leading to flight cancellations, schedule changes and extensive rerouting. Rising jet fuel prices have added further pressure on airlines worldwide.
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Middle Eastern carriers, whose networks were among the hardest hit by the disruption, have gradually been restoring operations. Emirates President Tim Clark said last month that the Dubai-based airline was operating at around 90% of its capacity.
However, several major international airlines remain cautious about operating in the region. Carriers including Lufthansa, British Airways and Singapore Airlines have extended suspensions on a number of Middle Eastern routes amid continuing uncertainty.
The sharp decline comes after a record-breaking 2025 for DXB, when the airport handled 95.2 million passengers, the highest annual traffic in its history.
Before the outbreak of the war, Dubai Airports had projected that DXB could handle nearly 100 million passengers in 2026.
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