Griffiths predicts Dubai becoming world's number one airport by 2015

Paul Griffiths, Dubai Airports' CEO, has predicted Dubai International will become the busiest airport in the world for international passenger traffic as early as 2015.
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He said that the number of passengers travelling through Dubai’s two main airports is expected to increase to 98.5 million by 2020. 

The figure is more than double the 47.2 million passengers Dubai Airports recorded in 2010. 

Dubai Airports owns and operates both of Dubai’s airports – Dubai International and the currently cargo-traffic only Dubai World Central – Al Maktoum International. 

“Increased liberalisation, GDP growth and increasingly affluent and mobile populations in emerging markets will combine to propel air travel growth worldwide,” he said. 

Griffiths said the combination of rallying tourism and Dubai’s established role as a trading hub linking economies in the Far East, Europe, Africa and North America, were also key advantages.. 

Concourse 3, Dubai International’s dedicated A380 facility, is set to open in 2012, when Dubai World Central – Al Maktoum International will also start passenger services.