Crediting the UAE for its handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, DC Aviation Al-Futtaim (DCAF) in Dubai reported a 25 percent increase in private and business jet activity in the first quarter, which also fueled gains in its other services such as charter, ground handling, and MRO.
“The increase in flight movement is the result of the increased confidence in the UAE government’s vaccination program, tourism-related initiatives, and other economic stimulus measures taken to boost consumer and business sentiment,” said DCAF managing director Holger Ostheimer. “We have seen this increased number even into Ramadan, which is generally a quiet period, and we expect this trend to continue for the remainder of the year.”
Increases in VVIP guests from the Commonwealth of Independent States, Europe, India, and Pakistan, as well as visitors from Israel—following the signing of the Abraham Accords agreement to open diplomatic, trade, and economic relations between the two countries—helped to drive business higher during the period.
A joint venture between German business aviation operator DC Aviation and UAE conglomerate Al-Futtaim, DCAF operates from Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai South with a 1,300-sq-m (13,993-sq-ft) VVIP lounge and two hangars measuring 5,700 sq m (61,354 sq ft) and 7,500 sq m (80,729 sq ft).