Al Maktoum International opens for passengers

His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, inaugurated the passenger terminal at Al Maktoum International Airport in Jebel Ali on Sunday.

The new passenger terminal at Dubai World Central (DWC) opened its doors for business following the inauguration and the welcoming of its first commercial flight.

A large delegation of local dignitaries and aviation officials toured the facility and welcomed the first commercial flight, Wizz Air flight W6 2497 arriving from Budapest, Hungary.

Also present were aircraft from Gulf Air and Jazeera Airlines both of which will commence operations at the DWC soon.

“Al Maktoum International at Dubai World Central will play a vital role in the future development of Dubai as a centre for trade, commerce, transport, logistics and tourism. I am impressed by the efficiency and convenience of this new terminal,” said Shaikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Chairman of Dubai Airports.

“The opening of this facility signals the historic beginning of a long-term plan to build the largest airport in the world to accommodate the tremendous passenger growth and contribute to the continued economic and social development of Dubai.”

The new passenger terminal offers full retail as well as food and beverage amenities. It is serviced by one A380 capable runway, 64 remote aircraft stands and has capacity for up to 7 million passengers per year.

Dubai Airports has so far confirmed operations with three airlines. Wizz Air will provide non-stop services linking DWC to Central and Eastern Europe, Jazeera Airways will commence operations with two weekly flights starting October 31, and most recently Gulf Air has announced its intention to start daily operations to Bahrain on December 8. Dubai Airports is in discussions with a number of other interested carriers.

“The location, convenience and compact nature of DWC are compelling attributes,” added Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports. “Airline and customer interest in this airport continues to grow and we hope to announce additional services in the near future.”