This data has been revealed by the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) in Dubai.

According to a report by the Khaleej Times, the GDRFA stated that 366 individuals were caught using forged passports within the first quarter of 2024, marking a slight increase from the 355 detected during the same period in 2023.

In 2023, a total of 16,127 documents were examined. Out of those, 1,232 were identified as forgeries. 443 cases were then referred to the public prosecution service for further action.

A consultant at the airport’s Document Examination Centre told local media that GDRFA has an effective system for intercepting travelers who attempt to enter the UAE bearing illegal passports.

Firstly, scanners verify security features on each passport, including watermarks, microprinting and colored fibers.

Every counter at Dubai Airport Passport Control is equipped with an advanced machine called Retro Check, which helps scrutinize suspected fake passports and aids immigration officers in the process of detection. 

If a passport is suspected to be fraudulent, the document is then analyzed by one of 30 experts at the Document Examination Center at DXB Airport’s Terminal 1, which is referred to as a ‘firewall’ against fraudsters using fake travel documents.

When a fake passport is detected by immigration officers, it is then sent to a police station and referred on to the public prosecution agency.

Gang members who ran lucrative fake passport scheme to receive longer sentences

• Civil Aviation
• This is interesting!

byJean Carmela Lim

2023-09-01

The check-in facilities include Emirates City Check-in & Travel Store in Dubai International Financial Centre, Emirates Cruise Check In – Port Rashid, Emirates Cruise Check In – Dubai Harbour and Emirates City Check-In Ajman, as well as for the Emirates’ dedicated hub in Terminal 3 at DXB Airport.

The certification plaques were awarded by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES) to acknowledge that Emirates facilities in Dubai have taken significant steps towards making travel more inclusive and accessible to neurodiverse customers, meeting criteria required for a comfortable and supported travel experience. 

Emirates employees at the various facilities have undergone specialized training on autism and sensory awareness, to equip them with the understanding and skills to address needs of autistic travelers or those with sensory sensitivities, along with their families. 

Comprehensive facilities audits were conducted across the locations, measuring all sensory inputs in public areas such as sound levels, lighting, and potential sights and smells, in order to develop sensory guides, empowering travelers to make informed decisions and choose the environment that best suits their needs and preferences.

On April 24, 2024, the airline conducted a special flight experience for 30 UAE families with neurodivergent children to help the families  practice and alleviate anxieties before traveling and to raise awareness of autism.

According to Emirates, more than 29,000 of its cabin crew and ground staff globally have completed ‘Introduction to Autism and Hidden Disabilities’ training. The online course was first launched in 2022 and covers a range of topics from the UAE National Policy for People of Determination, recognising autism, practical tips on how to assist passengers with hidden disabilities, responding with empathy, and information on the official support systems for helping passengers within the airport.

Emirates holds familiarization flight for families with neurodivergent children

• Airlines

byJean Carmela Lim

2024-04-26

The Emirates Airbus A380, registered A6-EOS, was last operational in March 2020 and was moved into storage in August 2020.?

According to flightradar.com, A6-EOS commenced its commercial reintroduction flight from Dubai Airport on May 8, 2024, at 08:20 local time. 

The Emirates A380 is due to arrive at Birmingham International Airport (BHX) in the United Kingdom (UK) later that day at 12:25 local time.?

2/5 台湾桃園国際空港
エミレーツ航空
A388 A6-EOS Expo 2020 Mobility塗装

— かじゅじゅ。(すぬーぴー) (@chita_hanto_moe)

On May 1, 2024, A6-EOS completed a two hour and 33-minute test flight from Dubai International Airport (DXB).  

The Emirates A380 circled the Persian Gulf before returning to Emirates global hub in Dubai.  

Following the pandemic outbreak Emirates was forced to ground its entire Airbus A380 fleet and it was unclear whether the airline would operate the superjumbo ever again.  

However, its future is looking much brighter with Emirates investing in the long-term operational future of the jet.??

On May 7, 2024, Emirates announced it would be completely refurbishing another 43 A380s, along with 28 Boeing 777s. 

“We’re topping up our multi-billion-dollar investment in the retrofit program to introduce cutting-edge cabin products on more of our A380s and Boeing 777s, demonstrating a clear commitment to elevating the customer experience with a best-in-class suite of products across every cabin,” Emirates President Sir Tim Clark said in a statement.?

Emirates to refurbish a further 43 A380s and 28 Boeing 777 aircraft

• Aircraft
• Airlines

byJean Carmela Lim

2024-05-07

After dozens of flights were diverted and canceled the situation on April 17, 2024, was not much improved with the Dubai flag-carrier Emirates suspending check-in for passengers for the remainder of the day.

Record levels of rain hit the region, with Dubai reportedly being soaked with more than 142 millimeters (5.59 inches) in 24 hours, according to the Associated Press.

Footage and photos of planes taxiing through rivers of rainfall at Dubai Airport were shared widely across social media with staff struggling to cope with the sheer amount of rainfall.

Dubai Airport right now

Dubai is underwater and is on

The biggest flood since 1999

Reason?

— Mr. Haque (@MrHaque_)

As well as at the airport, roads around Dubai leading to the airport were also flooded making it difficult for passengers to travel.

To make matters worse, weather forecasters were predicting that the treacherous conditions would continue into the early hours of April 17, 2024.

“We’re continuously working hard with our emergency response teams and service partners to restore normal operations as quickly as possible and provide support for guests,” a Dubai Airports spokesperson said. “Flights are delayed and some diverted with many airlines impacted by displaced crew. Recovery will take some time.”

Dubai Airport enjoying a light shower ???

— Breaking Aviation News & Videos (@aviationbrk)

The spokesperson added: “We are working hard to recover operations as quickly as possible in very challenging conditions.”

SpiceJet, Royal Jordanian and Royal Air Maroc all turned to social media to advise their customers that flights would be canceled or delayed due to the flooding in the UAE.

Atlanta retains title as world’s busiest airport, Haneda leaps into top 10

• Airport

byIan Molyneaux

2024-04-15

The (ACI), which announced the results on April 14, 2024, said that the global total passenger forecast for 2023 stands close to 8.5 billion, an increase of 27.2% from 2022.?

Passenger numbers also recovered to 93.8% of pre COVID-19 pandemic levels with international travel noted as a strong driver of this.  

“Global air travel in 2023 was chiefly fueled by the international segment, propelled by several factors,” ACI World Director General Luis Felipe de Oliveira said. “Among these were the anticipated benefits from China’s reopening and a growing inclination towards travel despite macroeconomic conditions.” 

Dubai International Airport (DXB) climbed three positions to become the second busiest in the world with nearly 87 million passengers and Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) served 81 million, finishing third.  

“While perennial leaders from the US continue to dominate the top 10 busiest airports for passengers, notably Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport retaining its number one position, there are notable shifts. Dubai International Airport jumped to second rank for the first time, while Tokyo Haneda International Airport witnessed a remarkable ascent from 16th position in 2022 to 5th in 2023,” Felipe de Oliveira added.??

London-Heathrow Airport (LHR) was in fourth place with 79 million passengers. The other airports to make it into the top ten were Denver (DEN), Istanbul (IST), Los Angeles (LAX), Chicago (ORD) and New Delhi (DEL).  

When looking at only international passenger numbers, DXB came out top with 86 million, followed by LHR with 74 million and Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) with 61 million. 

Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) also maintained the top position for the world’s busiest cargo airport followed by Memphis International Airport (MEM) and Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG).?

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• Business Aviation

byIan Molyneaux

2024-04-15

According to preliminary figures, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) has retained its position as the world’s busiest airport overall, while Dubai International (DXB) has been ranked the busiest international hub.??

Here, we take a close look at airports’ passenger traffic, cargo and aircraft movements.?

Total passenger traffic for 2022

Initial data from the ACI suggests that global passenger traffic during 2022 reached almost seven billion passengers. This represents an increase of 53.5% on 2021 figures and is 73.8% of the total number of passengers handled back in 2019.

The top 10 airports accounted for 10% of global traffic, with an 85.9% recovery compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019. 

The top four airports in 2022 remained the same as in 2021, with Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta (ATL) being the busiest airport, welcoming 93.7 million passengers, followed by Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) with 73.4 million, Denver (DEN) with 69.3 million, and Chicago O’Hare (ORD) with 68.3 million. Dubai International (DXB) ranked fifth in 2022, climbing from sixth position in 2021, which was previously held by Los Angeles (LAX).?

The rest of the top 10 consisted of airports that regained their status as the world’s busiest gateways, such as Dubai (DXB), London Heathrow (LHR), and Paris CDG (CDG), or continued to experience rapid growth in passenger traffic, such as Istanbul (IST) and Delhi (DEL). Five of the top 10 airports are within the United States, and they have a significant proportion of domestic passengers, ranging from 75% to 95%.?

London Heathrow (LHR) experienced the most substantial boost in the top 10 rankings, climbing from 54th place in 2021 to the eighth spot in 2022 after the reopening of borders that had been closed for two years.?

Total international passenger traffic??

Dubai International (DXB) remained the busiest international airport in the world, receiving 66.06 million travelers, which represents a 127% growth when compared to 2021 levels. However, that is still 23.5% below the pre-pandemic traffic statistics.  

London Heathrow (LHR) made a remarkable comeback to the top 10?international airports. Istanbul (IST), which was the second-busiest international airport last time,?dropped to the fifth position. Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS) retained its third place ranking globally, and Paris (CDG) held the fourth position.?

Luis Felipe de Oliveira, the director general of ACI World, said: “The new top 10 busiest airports for passenger traffic reflects the resilience of the airport and aviation industry, and the eagerness of passengers to travel by air”.?

“While US airport hubs were able to recover quicker due to their strong domestic market, we are now witnessing global hubs joining upper ranks – including Dubai, Istanbul, and London Heathrow. 

“The re-opening of China, the second largest aviation market after the US, is now expected to bring an overall gain, both domestically and for international travel.” 

Total cargo traffic

Air cargo volumes experienced a reduction of 6.7% year over year (YOY) in 2022, totaling around 117 million metric tons. 

In 2022, the top 10 airports for air cargo traffic accounted for approximately 27% of the total global air cargo traffic, which amounted to 30.8 million tons. However, the airports experienced a 9.9% decline in 2022 compared to the previous year 2021. Despite this decline, they still showed an overall improvement of 4.1% in air cargo traffic compared to 2019. 

The drop in cargo volumes has been attributed to persistent geopolitical tensions and disruptions to supply chains and global trade.  

Hong Kong (HKG) maintained its position as the top-ranked airport for air cargo traffic with 4.2 million tons, followed by Memphis (MEM) with 4.0 million and Anchorage (ANC) with 3.5 million. Shanghai Pudong (PVG) fell from the first to the fourth position, handling 3.1 million tons of cargo in 2022. 

Aircraft movements

Airports worldwide experienced a significant increase in aircraft movements (takeoffs and landings of airplanes at an airport) in 2022, with approximately 89 million movements, a growth of 20.4% from the previous year. This recovery indicates an 82.5% return to the pre-pandemic levels in 2019.  

The top 10 airports for aircraft movements, which accounted for nearly 7% of global traffic, recorded a growth of 11.4% from 2021 figures, achieving a recovery of 91.5% compared to their 2019 statistics.  

Atlanta Airport (ATL) maintained its position at the top of the rankings with 724,000 aircraft movements, representing a 2.3% increase from the previous year, but a decrease on the 2019 results when it came second only to Chicago O’Hare. 

Data from: https://airport-world.com/traffic-data-reveals-the-busiest-airports-in-the-world-in-2022/ 

Top 10 busiest airports in the US during 2022: high-traffic aviation hubs

• Airport
• Aviation in North America

byRosita Mickeviciute

2023-08-03

The flight in question, EK412, departed Dubai at 10:57 local time on November 12, 2023, and was operated by one of the carrier’s 119-strong fleet of Airbus A380s registered A6-EVK. 

Around three hours into the flight, the aircraft made a sharp about turn off the southern tip of the island of Sri Lanka and headed north, landing at Bengaluru Airport at 18:57 local time. 

The airline said in a statement that the flight diverted due to “operational reasons”. The same aircraft later departed Bengaluru at 20:39 after one hour and 34 minutes on the ground and landed in Sydney at 12:42 on November 13.???

According to data obtained from ch-aviation, A6-EVK is 4.4 years old, having been delivered to Emirates in December 2019. It is configured to seat 484 passengers in a four-class layout (14 in first class, 76 in business class, 56 in premium economy and 338 in economy).?The aircraft is powered by four Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engines.?

Although the reason for the diversion has not been revealed, the decision to divert to Bengaluru is not as eye-opening as one might imagine. The airport is a regular destination for the Emirates A380 fleet, with the airline having commenced operations there with its superjumbos back in October 2022.  

The daily Emirates services to Bengaluru using the A380 use flight numbers EK568 and EK569. The decision to divert EK412 there will undoubtedly have been based on the fact that the station is already an A380 destination, will have staff and ground equipment familiar with dealing with A380s, and it is also likely that an engineering crew would have been available should the issue have been technical in nature.???

Meanwhile, elsewhere on the same day, an Air Canada Boeing 777 en route from Frankfurt (FRA) to Toronto (YYZ) with flight number AC843 diverted to Dublin (DUB) due to a medical emergency onboard.??

Once again, the decision to divert to Dublin would largely have been based on the fact that it is already an Air Canada station. The flight later resumed its flight bound for Toronto.  

This figure exceeds the number of people that used the airport in the first half of 2019.  

According to the airport it registered a “robust performance” throughout the second quarter, during which passenger traffic surged by 42.7% year on year to reach 20.3 million.   

May 2023 was the busiest month during Q2 with 6.9 million guests and H1 2023 was up 49.1% compared to 27.9 million recorded in H1 2022.   

“It’s been a rewarding first half for Dubai International and amidst increasing guest numbers, we take great pride in knowing we are continuously delivering with operational excellence and providing an exemplary guest experience […] As we recover with our H1 traffic surpassing pre-pandemic levels, we continue to remain committed to ensuring every guest who travels through our airport leaves with a smile,” said Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports. 

India continues to lead as DXB’s top destination country in terms of traffic with 6 million guests in the first half, followed by Saudi Arabia with 3.1 million guests, and the United Kingdom with 2.8 million guests.  

Other leading destinations include Pakistan (2 million guests), the US (1.8 million guests), Russia (1.3 million guests) and Germany (1.2 million guests). 

DXB is connected to 257 destinations across 104 countries, through more than 91 international airlines.   

“We started the second half with strong demand in July, and with the ongoing seasonal peak coinciding with the reopening of schools in August, we’re preparing for an exceptionally busy rest of the year. We’ve readjusted our forecast for the year from 83.6m guests to 85m, just 1.6% shy of DXB’s annual traffic in 2019,” added Griffiths.   

Exploring the use of robotics and automation to enhance airport ground handling

• Aviation Technology and Innovation

byJean Carmela Lim

2024-07-06

DXB airport will be closed for a 45-day overhaul to “ensure continued safety and efficient operations,” the statement noted. The maintenance project, which will take place on the airport’s northern runway, will run from May 9 until June 22, 2022.  

However, the scheduled closure could affect flight operations and will likely lead to some flight reductions. To solve potential disruptions and to reduce possible flight delays, the airport will redirect a number of flights to Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC), also known as Dubai World Central Airport, the second-largest airport in the United Arab Emirates. 

Dubai Airports, the authority that owns and manages both DXB and DWC, added that because DXB has a dual runway, it will continue to serve flights during the planned overhaul. The operator also noted that it has “provided advance notice to all airlines to plan for flight reductions and schedule planning accordingly”. 

Initial report on Emirates EK231 serious take-off incident at DXB released

• Aviation Safety

byVictoria Bryan

2022-02-17

“Dubai Airports has advised passengers who are due to travel into or out of Dubai during the closure period to check with their respective airlines the airport and/or terminal of arrival/departure ahead of their journeys,” the statement continued.  

“Dubai Airports continues to invest in developing and maintaining its world-class infrastructure to enhance customer service quality and capacity and maintain its position as the world’s busiest international airport,” it added.  

DXB airport, which opened in the 1960s, last carried out a complete overhaul of its northern runway in 2014, while the southern runway underwent similar improvements in 2019. 

“We’ve got to do some work on the runway at Dubai International Airport and with the reduction in capacity we’ll start to move operations back to DWC,” DWC chief executive officer Paul Griffiths said at Dubai Air Show on November 14, 2021.

“But it’s really determined by the recovery of traffic overall.”

Airlines like Wizz Air, a number of Russian airlines and some FlyDubai operations will resume at DWC. Emirates, in the meantime, will carry out passenger flights out of Dubai International Airport (DXB) for the foreseeable future.

In order to prepare for higher tourist arrivals, concourse A at DXB is set to reopen on November 24, 2021, bringing the airport to full operation. 

Griffiths added that he is optimistic the airline industry will recover by the start of 2025. “I’m hoping that might be a fairly conservative estimate. We may well see a rather rapid recovery if the last few weeks are anything to go by.”

Dubai World Central, also known as Al Maktoum International Airport, opened in June 2010 and is located at Jebel Ali, 37 kilometres southwest of Dubai. It first began its operations as a cargo airport, and passenger flights commenced at the airport in October 2013. 

Dubai reclaims the title of world’s busiest international airport

• Airport

byValius Venckunas

2021-10-31