Dubai International Airport confirms plan to temporarily close the southern runway for 45 days next year, from April 16 to May 30, 2019. The temporary closure is for resurfacing and replacement of ground lighting and other infrastructure.
Dubai International, one of the busiest airports of the World, is the base for major Middle East airline Emirates and discount carrier flydubai. The airport alone handled 88.2 million passengers last year.
The temporary closure, therefore, would significantly impact the capacity. Airlines will have to reduce their operation at Dubai International Airport but would be able to accommodate flights at Dubai’s second airport, Dubai World Central, located about 60km away.
Dubai World Central worked as an alternative in year 2014 too, when Dubai airport's northern runway underwent a similar programme, and the new airport absorbed affected scheduled flights as well as charter, cargo and general aviation operations.
Paul Griffiths, Dubai Airports CEO, said, "In the months ahead we will be working closely with Dubai Aviation Engineering Projects, airlines and other stakeholders to ensure we optimise service and capacity during this period next year and minimise the impact on our customers.
While we regret any inconvenience this may cause to our airline customers and our passengers, these upgrades are absolutely necessary to heighten safety, boost capacity and pave the way for future growth."