Dubai International to be 2nd busiest airport in the world

The Dubai International Airport will become the second busiest international airport in the world by November 2011, according to a new study by the Centre of Asia Pacific Aviation (Capa).

Dubai International - currently the world's fourth busiest international airport - will occupy the number two slot from November 2011 in terms of passenger numbers, with London Heathrow at the top, the Capa study says.

Dubai airport's jump would overtake Frankfurt, Hong Kong and Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG), Capa said, adding that Dubai had already recently overtaken Frankfurt International Airport.

Dubai International handled a record 4.7 million passengers in July.

This was an increase of 400,000 over the previous month, and a 9.7 per cent increase year-on-year over the corresponding period in 2010.

Furthermore, the projected jump in November brings Dubai International closer to its goal of achieving the top slot potentially by 2015, outstripping London Heathrow as the busiest international airport in the world.

By 2020 Dubai Airports expects the airport to handle around 98 million passengers per annum.

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