Dubai – Mubasher: Dubai International (DXB) has maintained its position as the world’s busiest airport for international customer numbers for the fifth consecutive year, official data showed.
The international airport received up to 89.1 million visitors during the full year 2018, compared to London’s Heathrow that welcomed around 80 million in the same period.
India was the busiest destination by passenger numbers, recording 12.27 million passengers, followed by Saudi Arabia and the UK with 6.47 million and 6.28 million, respectively.
The airport saw 67.5 million customers during the nine-month period ended last September, up 1.4% from the prior-year period.
Earlier in 2018, DXB has introduced smart gates, which reduced wait times by 28%.
The number of passengers passing through smart gates at Dubai Airports reached 10.7 million in 2018, representing 22.3% of the total number of passengers.
The smart gates allow passengers to clear the immigration process in between seven to 10 seconds, according to the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai (GDRFA).
They use face-sensors to scan and identify travellers and indicators guide them through the steps required to complete the process.
