Traffic May Drop 70 Percent at World’s Busiest Airport for International Travel

The chief executive officer of the world’s busiest airport for international travel said passenger traffic could drop by as much as 70 percent in 2020.

According to Reuters.com, Dubai International Airport CEO Paul Griffiths said officials hope traffic at the facility drops by only 55-65 percent, but a wave of new infections around the world has led to further uncertainty.

With passenger traffic falling to an estimated 30-40 million travelers, Griffiths believes overall numbers could drop by as much as 70 percent this year.

The Dubai airport has seen a gradual increase in arrivals and departures since the United Arab Emirates lifted a ban on most passenger services in June, but Griffiths and many within the tourism industry are still working to reduce the quarantine rules that have impacted the industry.

“The thing that is obviously a problem at the moment is the requirement for quarantine in certain parts of the world,” Griffiths told Reuters. “If you go to the UK at the moment, you’re subject to 14 days quarantine and a lot of people are not able to afford the time.”

Instead, Dubai International has instituted updated coronavirus policies that include pre-travel testing, mandatory masks and secondary COVID-19 testing upon arrival.

On October 16, the Transportation Security Administration processed one million passengers on a single day for the first time since March 16. The total for the four-day weekend reached more than 3.7 million.