Annual aircraft movements in Dubai are expected to increase to 560,000 by 2020, when over 98 million passengers and over four million tonnes of air freight will pass through the emirate’s airports, a research study revealed.

The total aircraft movements, including local and foreign airlines, general aviation, private operators and freighters, in the UAE will surge to 620,000 in 2012 and 663,000 by 2013, according to the study on the GCC airports performance and future growth trends and projections.

According to the study, this remarkable growth would see the aviation sector accounting for 22 per cent of Dubai’s total employment and 32 per cent of the emirate’s gross domestic product by 2020, and Emirates, Qatar, and Etihad will have the capacity to carry nearly 200 million passengers: four times their current capacity.