DUBAI- The number of passengers travelling through Dubai International Airport fell by 3.8 percent in May, its second consecutive monthly decline in passenger traffic.

The world's busiest airport for international travellers handled 6.6 million passengers, down from 6.9 million in the same month a year earlier, its operator said on Thursday.

Operator Dubai Airports said the decline was due to a traditional drop in demand during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan which began in mid-May. The number of flights at the airport fell 5.6 percent to 32,620.

Passenger traffic was also lower in April after rebounding in March from consecutive monthly declines in January and February.

The airport is the hub for major airline Emirates and its sister airline flydubai which, along with Dubai Airports, are owned by the government of Dubai.

Passenger traffic is down 0.1 percent to 36.9 million for the five months to May.

(Reporting by Alexander Cornwell. Editing by Jane Merriman) ((Alexander.Cornwell@thomsonreuters.com;))