UAE based Emirates airline is expecting to fly a whooping number of 70 million passengers in 2020 and the airline with its partners in Dubai are already working on plans to ensure right infrastructure to support and capitalise this growth.
The carrier, in a press release Wednesday, said these plans were unveiled by Tim Clark, president of Emirates airline while he was delivering a presentation to the delegates of Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), who will be visiting the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to make their final decision on the host city for the World Expo 2020 to which Dubai is a candidate city.
"By 2020, we will have more than 250 aircraft serving some 70 million passengers across six continents. It will make us the largest airline on the planet by international passenger traffic," said Clark.
But being the largest airline in the world doesn't end the goals of Emirates, he added.
"Our aim has always been to connect travellers from around the world to Dubai, and other destinations with just a single stop via our hub. The strategic location of Dubai makes it possible for us to serve almost 90 percent of the world's population with non-stop flights, for example our 16-hour Dubai-to-Houston service on the Boeing 777-300ER, or our 14-hour Dubai-to-Sydney flight with the Airbus A380," Clark said.
Currently, Emirates is the largest operator of Airbus A380s and Boeing 777s, with an order book for 53 and 64 more of each aircraft type, respectively. By 2020, it has plan to have over 250 aircraft in its all-wide body fleet.
Visitor and growth of traffic at Dubai International airport has grown significantly in the past decade, with the number of international passengers almost doubling from 24.8 million in 2005 to 47.2 million in 2010.
Last year, the airport witnessed 57 million passengers from 225 destinations, travelling in on more than 140 airlines including Emirates.
In 2020, Dubai expects to welcome more than 20 million visitors and airport infrastructure is being geared up to meet this demand.
-With inputs from IANS
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