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Another jewel in Dubai’s crown

Al Maktoum International Airport is one of the world’s most ambitious airport projects

Once fully operational, Dubai’s newest airport Al Maktoum International Airport — Dubai World Central will be the largest airport in the world with five massive runways and capacity for 160 million passengers and 12 million tonnes of cargo. The ball has already been set rolling with the first passenger operations scheduled to begin this week when the Kuwait-based Jazeera Airways flies out of the airport. Saudi Arabia’s Nas Air and Hungary’s Wizz Air are also joining the party, with both airlines scheduled to begin services at the new facility shortly. Emirates airline may begin its service from Al Maktoum International Airport in mid-2020s. Interestingly the Emirates SkyCargo’s terminal at the new facility is likely to start operations around April 2014.

Dubai’s current airport – Dubai International airport—handles 6,000 flights per week, operated by 130 airlines to over 220 destinations around the globe. Being one of the busiest airports in the world by passenger traffic, the need for a second airport was felt acutely by city planners. The new Al Maktoum International Airport has been conceived with a view to further Dubai’s determination to keep up the growth of its tourism sector. The new airport is also targetted to appeal to low-cost travellers who might not previously have made it to Dubai. The passenger terminal at Dubai World Central, completed last year, is expected to ultimately take over operations from the Dubai International.

Al Maktoum International Airport will eventually become a global hub for the Airbus A-380, the world’s largest passenger airliner. All the airport’s hard-stand aero bridge gates are capable of accommodating the double-deck, wide-body, four-engine jet airliner. Fully equipped to accommodate four additional CAT III-certified runways, the airport can handle four superjumbo aircraft landings simultaneously and round the clock. To begin with, the Al Maktoum International Airport will service cargo airlines with many large warehouses and hangars located on the westernmost part of the premises. Planners have ensured that a large logistics hub, an ultra-luxurious golf resort with suburban housing, a trade and exhibition facility, a massive commercial district, and a spacious residential district surround the airport.

The new urban layout that encompasses the Al Maktoum International Airport is being dubbed as a modern ‘Aerotropolis’, which denotes a concept where the layout, infrastructure, and economy is centered around an airport, otherwise known as an airport city. Dubai’s latest aerotropolis is expected to attract huge trade around the airport that is likely to be a further catalyst in the emirates’ overall economic activity. Notably Dubai World Central’s masterplan has provisions for specialised zones for aviation, logistics and residential projects. Located on the Abu Dhabi-facing end of Dubai, the aerotropolis will be accessible from both sides. Curiously the new airport’s proximity to the Port of Jebel Ali means a high transfer rate between goods transported by sea, air and land.

While nearly half of the DWC is going to be the Al Maktoum Airport, the adjoining facilities and free zones are expected to enhance the value further. Experts say that the Al Maktoum International Airport may set in action a new order of global commerce in the region. Given its scale and ambition, it would reflect a perfect correlation between economic growth and transportation. Interestingly the airport is equipped to service nearly 90,000 tonnes of cargo annually with the DWC going to offer a gigantic range of global cargo services. Once fully ready the airport will be one of the largest in the world, with five runways, four terminal buildings, capacity to handle 160 million passengers a year, and 12 million tonnes of cargo.

Market watchers and aviation experts say that the futuristic Al Maktoum International Airport is going to be play a major role to establish the continuation of Dubai as a major global hub. Given its sheer size and world-class infrastructure, the airport is all set to be the world’s first integrated logistics platform, complete with manufacturing and assembly units in a single bonded and Free Zone environment. As the world’s fourth largest air facility in land area, only two other air facilities meet the scale of the Dubai World Central: King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, Saudi Arabia and Montréal-Mirabel International Airport in Montreal, Canada. Very soon the Al Maktoum International Airport is going to outshine everyone.