Dubai Airports Withstood 111 Threat Alerts and 17 Missile Strikes During Conflict

Dubai Airports withstood 111 threat alerts and 17 ballistic missile strikes during the regional conflict this year, with limited damage reported and all injured people now fully recovered, chief executive Paul Griffiths said.

Speaking at an international media briefing hosted by the Dubai Media Office on Thursday, Griffiths said the figures demonstrated the resilience of Dubai’s aviation sector during a period of major regional disruption.

He said there were no deaths among airport staff or passengers and that casualties were limited.

“The most satisfying statistics: there were zero deaths and very, very limited casualties. I’m very pleased to say that all of those people have now fully recovered,” Griffiths said.

Most injuries were minor and occurred as people moved quickly towards shelters after receiving alerts, according to the airport chief.

“Most of them were just falling over each other in the early stages when they actually were running too quickly to get to shelter,” he said, adding that airport officials later managed to calm the situation and maintain control.

The conflict followed US and Israeli attacks on Iran, after which Tehran launched drones and missiles towards several Gulf countries, including the UAE. Dubai International Airport was also targeted by Iranian drones.

Government praised for crisis response

Griffiths praised the UAE government’s communication during the crisis, saying clear information helped Dubai Airports respond quickly and protect passengers and employees.

He also credited the country’s air defence systems and their ability to intercept incoming threats.

“I don’t think any of us felt anything but safe and secure throughout the crisis,” he said.

Griffiths said Dubai’s ability to recover from major disruptions was also supported by its experience dealing with previous shocks, including the global financial crisis and the Covid-19 pandemic.

Passenger numbers recover

Passenger traffic at Dubai International Airport has rebounded strongly since the disruption.

Monthly traffic fell to 2.5 million passengers in March before rising to 5 million in June and 6.3 million in July. The July figure represented a 26% increase in a single month.

Dubai Airports handled 31.5 million guests during the first half of the year. Griffiths said passenger numbers were expected to reach around 70 million by the end of 2026.

That would remain below the 95.2 million guests recorded last year, but Griffiths said the airport remained confident about eventually returning to its long-term target of 100 million passengers.

Describing the recovery as a “trampoline bounce”, rather than a “dead cat bounce”, Griffiths said the airport had fallen sharply during the crisis but had since rebounded to an even stronger position.