Aircraft movements rose 46 per cent at Al Maktoum International at Dubai World Central (DWC) while fluctuations in charter traffic have seen freight volumes dip 11.3 per cent in the first nine months of 2013.
 
During the first three quarters of the year aircraft movements rose 46.3 per cent to 16,923, up from 11,571 movements during the same period in 2012. For the third quarter of 2013 air movements rose 63 per cent to 6,686, up from 4,097 in the third quarter of 2012 due to a surge in general aviation and training flights.
 
Freight volumes totalled 146,181 tonnes in the first nine months of the year, down 11.3 per cent from 164,757 tonnes recorded in the same period in 2012.

For the third quarter volumes came in at 43,252 tonnes, down 26 per cent from 58,423 tonnes handled during the same period in 2012. The decline comes due to fluctuations in charter operations and as freight volumes stabilise after the rapid growth seen in the first few years of cargo operations at the airport. DWC first opened for freight operations in June 2010.
 
“It is not unusual for new airports to see fluctuations in cargo traffic particularly from charter airlines,” said Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports. “However, this volatility will be short-lived as the level of scheduled freighter traffic is set to increase substantially next year.”
 
Emirates SkyCargo has confirmed that all dedicated freight flights will be operated from its new base at DWC when it opens in May 2014 while Air France-KLM relocated its regional hub to the airport in August this year.

Dubai Airports is also in discussions with a number of other airlines about commencing freighter operations at DWC.
 
Passenger services began on October 27 with the launch of service by low-cost carrier Wizz Air. Jazeera Airways (two flights per week), Gulf Air (daily) and, most recently, Qatar Airways (twice daily) have also confirmed passenger operations. – TradeArabia News Service