DUBAI, May 27 (Reuters) - Passenger traffic through Dubai's main airport, one of the world's busiest, rose 13.7 percent from a year earlier to 6.16 million people in April, the airport operator said on Tuesday.
During the first four months of 2014, traffic at Dubai International Airport climbed 11.9 percent to 24.52 million passengers.
Freight volume handled by the airport rose 3.7 percent in April to 207,317 tonnes; in the first four months, volume grew 4.6 percent to 821,193 tonnes.
However, activity is expected to taper off between May and July, Dubai Airports said, because of construction work on Dubai International's runways. The airport plans to cut flights by 26 percent for an 80-day period that started on May 1, the operator announced earlier.
Several airlines have moved flights to Dubai's new Al Maktoum International Airport during the period.
The runway upgrade programme is ahead of schedule with work on the southern runway finished on May 27, four days ahead of the planned May 31 completion date, Dubai Airports added. The additional days will be used for work on the northern runway, which will remain closed until July 20.
(Reporting by Praveen Menon; Editing by Andrew Torchia)