$1.2 bn investment to revamp airport
Dubai Airports is investing $1.2 billion in upgraded facilities for over 110 international airlines that operate from its international Terminals 1 and 2.
Concourse D, expected to open later this year, will become the new $517 million (AED 1.9 billion) home to nearly 100 airlines that currently occupy Concourse C. It will feature 21 contact stands, four of which will accommodate Airbus A380 or Boeing 747 aircraft and 11 remote stands.
The importance in Concourse D, designed around a central atrium, is to create a more efficient and intuitive customer experience with short walks to connect passengers with their aircraft.
“With traffic growth continuing at a rapid pace, we are investing heavily to ensure that the 110 plus international passenger airlines that fly to and from Dubai and their customers who use our airport facilities, experience an enhanced product, reflective of the high service standards Dubai has set,” informs
Paul Griffiths, CEO,
Dubai Airports.
A total of $490 million (AED 1.8 billion) is being invested in a phased refurbishment and modernisation process of Terminal 1 and operational areas surrounding it and Concourse D. On the northern side of the airport, a further $163 million (AED 600 million) has been invested to upgrade Terminal 2.
On the expansion of Al Maktoum International at Dubai World Central’s existing passenger terminal, Dubai Airports confirms that construction is expected to begin later 2015. It will boost the present capacity of 6 million passengers a year to 26 million.
Dubai International experienced solid growth across all major markets in March 2015, lifting passenger traffic 7.2 per cent from March 2014, according to the latest traffic report issued by operator Dubai Airports.
Passenger traffic in March 2015 totalled 6,736,932 compared to the 6,285,868 passengers recorded in March 2014, up 7.2 per cent. This boosted traffic in the first three months of the year to 19,606,327, up 6.8 per cent from the 18,361,820 achieved in Q1 of 2014. The growth in passengers continued mainly by Emirates Airline and flydubai, particularly to Eastern European destinations. India remained Dubai International’s biggest market, with passenger traffic growing 14.9 per cent to 863,046 passengers in March 2015.
“The growth in the first quarter puts us on track to meet our forecast of more than 79 million passengers in 2015 and cement our position as the world’s busiest airport for international passengers,” concludes Griffiths.
We are investing heavily to ensure that the 110 plus international airlines that fly to and from Dubai and their customers who use our airport facilities, experience an enhanced product, reflective of the high service standards Dubai has set