Dubai International airport authorities announced Sunday, November 4, that an additional $1.1 billion will be allocated to an expansion project aimed at enabling the airports facilities to accommodate the new Airbus A380 planes, Dubai Crown Prince Shaikh Muhammad Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum told Al-Sharq Al-Awsat.
The initial cost of the project, estimated at $1.4 billion, was revised to $2.5 billion following the purchase of 22 Airbus-380 superjumbos and options for 10 more, by the Emirates national carrier.
Plans for the construction of a third giant plane-shaped terminal, designed to host 64 parked planes, and a cargo freight terminal have been added to the original airport expansion scheme. Plans were also drawn for the upgrading of the airfield and infrastructure and support facilities.
The first terminal is to be constructed in four years’ time, while the freight terminal is expected to be completed in 2018. France's Airports de Paris (ADP) was contracted to execute the works.
The Dubai Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) expects the number of the passengers using the Dubai International Airport to grow from 12.3 million in 2000 to 30 million passengers in 2010 and 62 million by 2020. The executive flight services of Dubai international airport increased by 15 percent during the past two months, officials said, totaling 1,900.
The authority also reported that over 100 airlines operate 400 airplanes, landing and taking off out of the Dubai International Airport on a daily basis. This figure is expected to double with the completion of the new terminal facilities. — (menareport.com)
© 2001 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
