Dubai International Airport To Launch Smart Corridor, Aiming For Enhanced Travel Efficiency Before Q3 2024

Majed Al Joker, Chief Operating Officer of Dubai Airports, has announced the forthcoming completion of the Smart Corridor at Dubai International Airport (DXB) within the second or third quarter of this year. This innovative corridor is set to streamline three key procedures into a single process, significantly enhancing passenger experience. According to Al Joker's statements to the Emirates News Agency (WAM), once operational, the Smart Corridor will allow travelers to breeze through check-in, passport control, and boarding pass acquisition, only pausing at security inspection points.

Reflecting on DXB's performance over the past year, Al Joker revealed that the airport serviced 87 million passengers in 2023, marking a 31 percent increase from the previous year and surpassing 2019's figures. The final quarter of last year saw 22.4 million passengers, up by 13.8 percent compared to the same period in the previous year, with August emerging as the busiest month with 7.9 million passengers. The second half of the year was particularly robust, handling over 45 million passengers, making the third quarter the busiest since 2019 with 23 million passengers.

The operational efficiency of DXB was highlighted by its handling of 77 million bags - a 24 percent increase and the highest in its history - with a success rate of 99.8 percent in baggage operations. Additionally, security inspection wait times were kept under four minutes for approximately 97 percent of travelers, and passport control took just seven minutes for over 95 percent of passengers.

India led in passenger numbers with 11.9 million travelers, followed by Saudi Arabia with 6.7 million, and the United Kingdom with 5.9 million. Other notable performances came from Pakistan, the United States, Russia, and Germany. The total number of flights exceeded 416 thousand, representing an annual increase of over 21 percent.

Al Joker also pointed out the significant impact of major events such as the Dubai Airshow, Climate Conference, Shopping Festival, and Winter Season on passenger numbers in 2023. He attributed these exceptional figures to collaborative efforts with partners both inside and outside the airport and around-the-clock teams dedicated to ensuring a seamless travel experience.

Looking ahead, Dubai Airports anticipates reaching 88.8 million passengers in 2024, with expectations to surpass 93 million in 2025 and exceed 97 million by 2026. Initial forecasts suggest hitting the milestone of 100 million passengers between 2027 and 2028.

Al Joker underscored ongoing developments at Dubai Airport, highlighting investments ranging from AED6 billion to AED10 billion aimed at improving facilities and service efficiency through technology investments and developing transit areas. He also mentioned a passenger flow prediction system designed to forecast hourly passenger arrivals and allocate necessary resources and counters accordingly. Furthermore, he noted that Dubai Airport has the capacity to accommodate between 118 to 120 million passengers.

With inputs from WAM