The UK Foreign Office lifted travel advisories for the United Arab Emirates last week, meaning a luxurious holiday to Dubai is back on the cards – and work has started on a new mega-airport in the metropolis.
Al Maktoum International Airport is set to cost a whopping £23.6 billion and the Dubai government has confirmed the first phase of construction is going ahead on time.
The major hub, planned to be the largest in the world at 70sq km, is scheduled to open in 2032 and will welcome 260 million passengers a year when completed.
Despite the vast amount of travellers expected to pass through its corridors, developers have created methods that mean there will be no queues.
‘Automated people movers’ – small driverless trains – will link terminals and concourses, according to UAE news publication Khaleej Times.
Processing may differ to the usual airport experience, too. Bags could be dropped off before holidaymakers reach the terminal, and they might be able to check in during the journey instead of in the usual, more rigid manner.
Al Maktoum International Airport is scheduled to be complete by 2032 after a huge expansion project
Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports, previously explained the concept: ‘The idea is that when you arrive at the airport, you’ve got a short and very convenient route to walk.
‘You do not have to stop for immigration, for check-in, for security (checks), customs or anything.
‘We want to give the power to the customer to decide when they want to stop – at a shop to buy something or at restaurants to have a meal or in a lounge to enjoy and relax.’
As a result, passengers won’t be required to queue and the airport experience should be ‘as nonstop and seamless’ as possible.
It’s expected that all operations from Dubai International Airport, which sees 90 million passengers annually, will eventually transfer over to Al Maktoum.
Depictions of the new hub show a sleek design with a white exterior and greenery surrounding it.
Inside, depictions show palm trees, landscaped greenery and sweeping white arches.
The development is set to cost a whopping £23.6 billion and depictions reveal what it could look like inside
His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, who is chairman of Dubai Airports, chairman of the Dubai Aviation City Corporation and chairman of Dubai Aviation Engineering Projects, described the airport as ‘one of the most significant strategic projects’ that’s ‘shaping Dubai’s economic future’.
‘It embodies our leadership’s long-term vision of investing in world-class infrastructure capable of accommodating the rapid growth in travel, trade, and logistics,’ he added.
The project is currently transitioning into the ‘large-scale construction phase’.
His highness continued: ‘The project will further enhance the emirate’s future readiness and reinforce the aviation sector’s contribution to sustainable economic growth for decades to come.’
Over the last 15 months, over 10 million working hours have already been dedicated to the hub.
Meanwhile, the number of on-site workers, which currently stands at 9,000, is expected to increase to 120,000 as construction peaks.
When fully built, the major hub will welcome more than 260 million passengers each year
In addition to its passenger traffic, a startling 12 million tonnes of air cargo is set to travel through the hub when completed, too.
Al Maktoum International Airport is located in Dubai South and originally opened back in 2010 for cargo flights, and passenger services began operating from the hub in 2013.
Now undergoing a huge expansion, it is set to boast five parallel runways and 400 aircraft gates.
It’s easily reachable by the Dubai Metro and buses, with various hotels nearby.
Source link
CHECK OUT: Top Travel Destinations
READ MORE: Travel News
