UAE airspace restructuring allows carriers to save Dh53m

Dubai airspace sees over 500,000 movements in 2017

The UAE’s airspace restructuring project, which was implemented last year, enabled carriers flying from Dubai International Airport to save a total of Dh53 million from their budgets.

According to figures released by Dubai Air Navigation Services (DANS), air traffic control officers managed over 500,000 traffic movements in Dubai’s airspace throughout 2017 — including both civilian and military aircraft.

Of those movements, more than 400,000 occurred at Dubai International Airport and Al Maktoum International Airport. This brought the daily average to 1,134 movements in 2017. Reports from the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority say that Dubai’s airspace is expected to see over 600,000 air traffic movements by 2020. This will come upon the full completion of the final phases of the airspace restructuring programme, and as demand of travel increases.

“Dubai Air Navigation Services dominates a central role in enabling the aviation sector to be one of the major contributors to Dubai’s gross domestic product, which currently stands at 28 per cent, and is forecast to increase to 35 per cent by 2020,” said Shaikh Ahmad Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation and Chairman and CEO of Emirates airline and Group. Operationally, in 2017, DANS invested Dh60 million in three projects to enhance Dubai Airports’ ability to cater to growth in air traffic.