Dubai Airports has said it is moving decisively to scale up operations after the UAE lifted all precautionary airspace restrictions on May 2, 2026, opening a new phase of recovery for the worlds busiest international airport.
CEO Paul Griffiths confirmed that Dubai International (DXB) is once again able to operate at its full declared capacity of 1,396 daily aircraft movements, after spending most of April running at just 541 movements roughly 38 percent of normal throughput, according to Khaleej Times. The restrictions had been in place since February 28, 2026, as a precaution during regional geopolitical tensions.
Griffiths told reporters that the third quarter of 2026 is expected to be the strongest growth quarter of the year, with international transfer traffic through the Middle East accounting for a major share of global air travel. He noted that DXB normally handles around 22.4 million annual transfer passengers, equivalent to roughly one third of all transfer traffic across the regions hubs.
Even during the disruption, Dubai Airports said it moved approximately 6 million guests, more than 32,000 aircraft movements and 213,000 tonnes of essential cargo between February 28 and April 30, underscoring the resilience of UAE aviation infrastructure.
According to The National and AGBI, the recovery is being coordinated with the General Civil Aviation Authority and Dubais home carriers, Emirates and flydubai, who are progressively restoring schedules after a first-quarter traffic slump. Gulf News reported that DWC expansion plans at Al Maktoum International remain on track and will absorb future growth as DXB approaches its current ceiling.
For the wider UAE, the return to full airspace operations is a meaningful boost to tourism, trade and transit demand heading into the busy summer and Eid Al Adha travel periods. Dubai handled 95.2 million passengers in 2025 and is targeting 99.5 million in 2026, a figure Griffiths said is now back within reach following the lifting of restrictions.
Officials emphasised that safety remained the priority throughout the restriction period and that the rapid scale-up reflects close coordination between Dubai Airports, the GCAA and airline partners across the Emirates.
Sources:Khaleej Times,The National,Gulf News,AGBI.
