Dubai has approved the second phase of the United Al Maktoum International Airport, which will be five times the size of the current Dubai International (DXB) and the world’s largest airport
Dubai’s ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum has ordered the immediate construction of the new passenger terminal building at a cost of AED128bn ($35bn).
Once complete, Al Maktoum will have capacity for up to 260m passengers and 12m tonnes of cargo a year, with five passenger lounges including more than 400 aircraft gates.
As as part of the project, Dubai is building an entire Airport City in Dubai South that will provide housing for a million people and act as a base for logistics and air transport companies from around the world.
“A qualitative leap forward”
Sheikh Mohammed said the development of Al Maktoum Airport represents a “qualitative leap towards the future”, with the five parallel runways, four of which will operate completely independently.
“The tremendous acceleration in the development of technologies, the abundance of knowledge and the optimal use of innovation tools and anticipating the future will enable us to create a unique and unprecedented travel experience for travellers,” he said in an official statement.
The development is part of Dubai’s D33 economic agenda, which includes 100 transformational projects and targets designed to double the size of the emirate’s economy in the decade to 2033 and consolidate its position in the top three economic cities in the world.
“Commitment to sustainability”
Adopting sustainability standards in the Al Maktoum International Airport project will contribute strongly to reducing environmental emissions in line with the UAE’s vision for a sustainable environment, as the project aims to make optimal use of local resources and climatic conditions to achieve sustainability goals efficiently.
There will also be an emphasis on ease of access to the airport, maximising the efficient use of public transport to reduce dependence of private transportation.
Passenger transportation will operate around the clock, and a central transportation station will includes all types of transportation to and from the city.
All operations from DXB will transfer to Al Maktoum International in the coming years.
Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports, said: “The growth of Dubai has always been hand-in-hand with the growth of its aviation infrastructure and today we see another bold step on that journey.
“The announcement of phase two of Dubai World Central – Al Maktoum International Airport’s expansion, representing a substantial investment of AED128bn, marks the start of a huge investment of resources by our many stakeholders in designing and building a state-of-the-art airport that will provide a quick, convenient, and high quality 21st century experience for our customers. This further solidifies Dubai’s position as a leading aviation hub on the world stage.”
