Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths said on Tuesday that the upcoming shift from Dubai International Airport (DXB) to Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC) will demand a workforce larger than that of a single airport during the testing and handover phase.
Speaking to Khaleej Times, Griffiths called the transition a massive operational challenge, noting that some employees might have to delay their retirements to ensure a smooth move.
Announced in April 2024, Dubai’s Dh128-billion aviation project aims to transfer all operations from DXB to DWC at Dubai World Central over the next decade. Once complete, the new airport will handle up to 260 million passengers annually.
Currently, Dubai International Airport — the world’s busiest for international traffic — welcomed a record 46 million travelers in the first half of 2025, including 22.5 million in the second quarter, up 3.1% year-on-year. April also marked its busiest month ever, with eight million passengers.
Griffiths said several airlines would begin moving to DWC in the coming years as DXB nears its capacity. He forecasted DXB to serve 100 million passengers within 18 months and around 115 million by 2031, before the complete transition in 2032.
“One of our biggest challenges will be running both airports simultaneously,” he added. “We’ll need full staffing at DXB while preparing DWC, which means a workforce exceeding one airport’s usual capacity.”
Earlier this year, Dubai started awarding contracts for construction and development at Al Maktoum International, marking a major milestone in the city’s ambitious airport expansion plan.
