Dubai International registered a record 5.8 million passengers in March, according to the monthly traffic report issued by Dubai Airports.

Passenger traffic in March surged by 20.6 per cent, the highest since August 2012, to 5,846,297 compared to 4,848,320 in March 2012, the fourth consecutive month with more than five million passengers and a double-digit growth.

The strong showing has boosted the year to date traffic to 16,486,417, up 15.6 per cent compared with 14,261,606 recorded during the first three months of 2012.

The largest increase in total passenger number were recorded on the Western European routes - driven mainly by Emirates airline and flydubai services to destinations in the region registering the largest increase in total passenger numbers (up 227,830), followed by the AGCC (up 209,737), and the Indian subcontinent (up 202,703).

Growth remained subdued (up 2,532) on South American routes while Middle Eastern routes registered moderate growth (up 36,479).

In terms of percentage growth, eastern Europe was the fastest-expanding market (up 67.9 per cent) driven by Emirates airline’s launch of new services to Poland and flydubai’s service to Macedonia, followed by Asia Pacific (up 26.5 per cent).

Dubai International recorded a total of 31,713 aircraft movements in March, up 8.3 per cent compared to 29,276 in March 2012.

The year to date movements increased 5.9 per cent to reach 91,130, compared to 86,014 recorded during the first three months in 2012.

Paul Griffiths, chief executive, Dubai Airports said: “We have had a very successful first quarter highlighted by record growth and the opening of the world’s first purpose built A380 facility.

“I am particularly pleased that we are now not only the world’s second busiest international hub but also one of the most efficient with 208 passengers per aircraft movement thanks to our growing number of A380 operations which led the world in 2012 with 7,259 A380 flights to 28 destinations.”

He added that traffic looked set to continue its upsurge in the second quarter adding to the import of Dubai Airports’ ongoing expansion projects at Dubai International.