One of the world's busiest airports, Dubai International Airport (DXB), is set to resume dual-runway operations by June 22nd, as runway repairs on the northern strip have already reached the mid-way point.

Overhaul for the northern strip

DXB has two runways, the northern and southern strip. On May 9th, the north strip was closed and is currently undergoing an overhaul in part of the airport's Northern Runway Rehabilitation project to upgrade the airfield to ensure enhanced safety and efficiency. Since the upgrading works started, more than 1,000 vehicles and 3,000 people have been working on-site at DXB to ensure the project remained on track.

The essential work involves resurfacing the entire 4.5-kilometer-long northern runway while strengthening the wider runway strip and reinforcing the paving on taxiway points. Approximately 264 kilometers of secondary cables are being replaced, and over 4,400 runway lights are being upgraded to modern, economical, and environmentally friendly technology as part of the project. It also involves repairs on the runway's drainage infrastructure and replacing meteorological equipment and navigational aids. A navigation aids sub-station is being relocated too.

Although the pandemic has slowed down air traffic levels at DXB, the numbers are predicted to return to pre-pandemic levels as quickly as the next two years. The next scheduled overhaul for the northern strip was initially planned for 2024. But, with the quieter levels of traffic in comparison, state-run airport operator Dubai Airports chose to carry out the upgrading works now to reduce worse disruptions in the future, as it highlighted:

"DXB’s northern runway was last fully resurfaced in 2014, and a major upgrade was scheduled for 2024, however, with lower aircraft movements due to the ongoing recovery from the pandemic, the quieter time provided an ideal opportunity to carry out the rehabilitation works with minimum impact on DXB’s operations and growth. Once completed, the project will have a positive impact on the overall travel experience at the airport for years to come."

flydubai Boeing 737 MAX
Photo: Boeing

An overhaul on the northern strip was last done in 2014, while in 2019, an overhaul was completed on the southern strip from April 16th to May 30th. The shorter timeline was because the southern strip only required resurfacing works and the replacement of ground lighting.

Relying on the southern strip

The shutdown of the northern runway has certainly been disruptive. It's a busy time for DXB, although still not as busy as it would have been, with traffic still down compared to pre-pandemic levels. Still, the upgrading works ultimately led to some shifts in airline flight schedules, and it was in these busy times that the southern runway was heavily relied on to maintain operations at DXB.

With DXB being one runway short, the city's secondary hub at Dubai World Central (DWC), also known as Al Maktoum International Airport, has been picking up some additional slack to reduce delays and disruptions in Dubai. The airport handled over 1,000 flights during the 45-day transition period from numerous international carriers such as Air India Express, Gulf Air, IndiGo, Qatar Airways, and SpiceJet. These carriers are set to revert back to DXB once the rehabilitation project ends on June 22nd.

Significance of the airports

Since its inception in 1960, DXB has become a vital economic booster for Dubai as it registered tremendous growth in passenger traffic with an annual average growth rate of approximately 13%. Currently, the airport serves more than 190 destinations across 92 countries through 73 scheduled international airlines, with India maintaining a podium position as the airport's top destination country.

Emirates B777
Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying.

And despite the uncertainties during the pandemic, DXB managed to handle an estimated 29.1 million passengers last year, exceeding its forecast of 28.7 million. In May, Dubai Airports raised its annual passenger traffic forecast from 57 million to 58.3 million this year as DXB recorded its busiest quarter since 2020. Passenger traffic has more than doubled during the reporting period from 5.7 million in the same quarter in 2021 to more than 13 million.

Bottom line

For such a massive overhaul project, a 45-day period is surprisingly short, considering all the essential replacements and repaving required. Still, given the massive traffic levels at DXB, a shorter time frame is just as vital to ensure minimal disruptions to flight operations. And with the growth of DXB and even DWC, the aviation industry in Dubai seems unstoppable once again.