Dubai: Dubai International posted an uptake in monthly passenger numbers in August, the first full month of operations since the 80-day runway repairs that started on May 1.

More than 6.6 million passengers travelled through Dubai International last month, up 10.8 per cent compared to the nearly 6 million that used the airport a year earlier, according to Dubai Airports.

“The numbers are far more indicative of the growth trend we expect to see for the remainder of the year,” stated Dubai Airports chief executive, Paul Griffiths.

The resurgence in passenger numbers after a near three-month lull adds weight to comments from Griffiths earlier this month, who said Dubai International may be the busiest airport for international passenger traffic in 2014.

Dubai International finished second behind London Heathrow in 2013. Total passenger traffic in the first eight months of the year ending August 31 was more than 46.4 million, an increase of 5.7 per cent compared to the more than 43.9 million passengers recorded in the same period last year.

Between January 1 and August 26, Dubai International handled 29.4 million passengers, up 9.1 per cent on the same period a year earlier, according to the Airports Council International (ACI). London Heathrow handled 26.4 million passengers, up 2.2 per cent.

Largest passenger growth for the month of August came from the Indian sub-continent, up by 147,096 passengers; followed by Western Europe, up 131,095; Asia, up 98,089; the Arabian Gulf, up 69,233, and Africa up 64,451.

North America was one of the largest growth regions in terms of percentage growth, up 28.9 per cent, as was Asia, up 19.2 per cent, according to Dubai Airports.

The number of landings and take-offs in August were 31,214, up just 0.1 per cent compared to the same month last year. Over the first eight months of the year, aircraft movements reached 227,110, down 6.4 per cent from 242,571 in the same period a year earlier.

Monthly cargo volumes rose 4.3 per cent to 192,901 tonnes in August, compared to 184,877 tonnes a year earlier.