Dubai runway reopens: Flydubai to shift flights to DXB after upgrades

Dubai International (DXB) airport’s Northern Runway has been made operational after the completion of the 45-day refurbishment programme, Dubai Airport said.

The first flights were welcomed onto the newly-rehabilitated runway on Wednesday.

During the 45-day refurbishment programme from May 9 to June 22, several international carriers including flydubai, SpiceJet, Indigo, Gulf Air, Air India Express and Qatar Airways were operating from the Dubai World Central (DWC) Airport.

On June 10, Dubai Airport said that the Northern Runway rehabilitation programme at Dubai International (DXB) had surpassed its midway point and was ready to reopen on June 22.

More than 1,000 vehicles and 3,000 people worked on-site around the clock at DXB to complete the project. The essential work involved resurfacing the entire 4.5km long Northern runway, strengthening the wider runway strip, as well as reinforcing the paving on key taxiway entries and exits, and repairing drainage infrastructure.

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Flydubai to shift from June 23

On Wednesday, budget carrier flydubai said it will return to operate from Dubai International from June 23.

The Dubai-based carrier had shifted around 30 flights to Dubai World Central from May 9 to June 22 during the Northern Runway refurbishment project at Dubai International.

“Flydubai’s flights to more than 30 destinations, which were temporarily operating out of Dubai World Central (DWC), return to operate from Dubai International (DXB) from June 23,” it said in a statement on Wednesday.

“This follows the successful completion of the 45-day period Northern Runway Rehabilitation programme at DXB. Between May 9 and June 22, the carrier has minimised disruption to its passengers by operating out of both airports,” said the statement.

Dubai International recorded 13.6 million passengers in Q1 2022, the busiest quarter since 2020, indicating that traffic recovery is gaining momentum at the world’s busiest international hub. This is the second consecutive quarter when passenger traffic at DXB has surpassed the 10-million mark.

• Dubai