Dubai airport reports sharp drop in second quarter traffic due to Iran war’s effects

Dubai airport reports sharp drop in second quarter traffic due to Iran war’s effects 1 of 3 | Passengers leave the baggage claim hall at Terminal 3 of Dubai-international-airport" class="entity-link entity-location" data-entity-id="38097" data-entity-type="location">Dubai International Airport in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/ Fatima Shbair) 2 of 3 | Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths speaks to the Associated Press in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/ Fatima Shbair) 3 of 3 | A family walks through Terminal 3 at Dubai-international-airport" class="entity-link entity-location" data-entity-id="38097" data-entity-type="location">Dubai International Airport in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/ Fatima Shbair) 1 of 3 | Passengers leave the baggage claim hall at Terminal 3 of Dubai-international-airport" class="entity-link entity-location" data-entity-id="38097" data-entity-type="location">Dubai International Airport in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/ Fatima Shbair) 1 of 3 Passengers leave the baggage claim hall at Terminal 3 of Dubai-international-airport" class="entity-link entity-location" data-entity-id="38097" data-entity-type="location">Dubai International Airport in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/ Fatima Shbair) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share 2 of 3 | Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths speaks to the Associated Press in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/ Fatima Shbair) 2 of 3 Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths speaks to the Associated Press in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/ Fatima Shbair) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share 3 of 3 | A family walks through Terminal 3 at Dubai-international-airport" class="entity-link entity-location" data-entity-id="38097" data-entity-type="location">Dubai International Airport in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/ Fatima Shbair) 3 of 3 A family walks through Terminal 3 at Dubai-international-airport" class="entity-link entity-location" data-entity-id="38097" data-entity-type="location">Dubai International Airport in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/ Fatima Shbair) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Updated [hour]:[minute] [AMPM] [timezone], [monthFull] [day], [year] Dubai, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Dubai-international-airport" class="entity-link entity-location" data-entity-id="38097" data-entity-type="location">Dubai International Airport, one of the world’s busiest hubs, said Wednesday it saw a sharp drop in passengers during the second quarter as the Iran war disrupted air travel and prompted many travelers to choose routes that avoided the Middle East.The airport recorded 13 million passengers during the second quarter, following 31.5 million passengers in the first half. That was a 31.3% drop over passenger traffic in the first half of 2025, the airport said.Air traffic in the United Arab Emirates and elsewhere in the Gulf region was disrupted by shutdowns and restrictions after the United States and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28. The Dubai airport itself suffered minor damage in attacks from Iran.Aircraft movements totaled 150,600 in the first half, down 32.1% year on year, with only 62,500 in the second quarter, the airport said. CEO Paul Griffiths noted, however, there has been a steady increase in passenger volume each month in the second quarter, and said the momentum is expected to continue.“The events of the disruption, which lasted two months, that had an impact on traffic,” Griffiths told The Associated Press. “However, the trajectory now is universally positive.”He said the airport was waiting for overseas airlines, particularly from Europe, to restart operations.“I’m very confident we’ll be back to full operation in a very short space of time,” he said.