DUBAI – Dubai International Airport’s traffic rose 14.5 percent in December and 9.2 percent in 2009, climbing during a year when the financial crisis hurt the travel sector and airports around the world recorded dwindling traveller numbers.

The airport handled 40.9 million passengers during the year, with nearly 3.82 million coming in December, Dubai Airports Co, which operates the emirate’s airport, said in a statement on Wednesday.

The increase in December marked the seventh consecutive double-digit rise in passenger traffic and the second highest monthly increase after September’s 19.5 percent climb.

Cargo volumes rose 5.6 perent in 2009, following a 26 percent jump in December. Full-year cargo volumes reached nearly 1.93 million tonnes compared to 1.82 million tonnes in 2008.

Dubai Airports Chief Executive Paul Griffiths reiterated that the airport’s passenger traffic will grow 13.6 percent this year to about 46 million passengers.

“It’s clear 2009 was a year of spectacular growth and we will continue to invest in the future to make sure that we are always able to accommodate more passengers, more flights,” Griffiths said.

“Dubai International has capacity for 60 million passengers per year, and that will increase to 75 million passengers when Concourse 3 is completed in 2012.”

Source: business.maktoob.com