Work on Al Maktoum International expansion starts this year

Once complete the passenger terminal will provide a total of 24 boarding gates, seven baggage reclaim carousels and an increase to 104 check-in desks.

Dubai Airports on Tuesday said construction work to expand Al Maktoum International at Dubai World Central (DWC) is expected to start later this year.

In a statement, Dubai Airports said the capacity of passenger terminal at Al Maktoum International will increase to 26 million annually by 2017 from present level of six million only as Dubai International nears its capacity limit due to the rapid growth of passenger traffic.

“DWC will play an increasingly important role in absorbing additional passenger traffic. The project is a precursor to the $32 billion expansion project announced last September to create the world’s biggest airport with an ultimate capacity in excess of 200 million passengers per year,” the statement said.

Once complete the passenger terminal will provide a total of 24 boarding gates, seven baggage reclaim carousels and an increase to 104 check-in desks. Construction is currently expected to be completed by the end of first quarter of 2017 with the expanded facility opening shortly afterwards following the successful completion of a thorough testing and trial programme.

“With traffic growth continuing at a rapid pace, the expansion of the current facility at DWC will help us accommodate future demand while the construction of the $32 billion programme is in progress,” said Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports.

Saj Ahmad, chief analyst at London-based StrategicAero Research, said expanding the existing passenger terminal at DWC not only adds to the overall airspace handling capability between Al Maktoum International and Dubai International Airport, but it also signals the strength of demand to fly to the new airport too.

“DWC has been designed to cope with huge passenger numbers and the investment it has earmarked will help the airport realise its true worth as it expands it’s operational footprint,” Ahmad told Khaleej Times.

“With around $32 billion allotted to its development, DWC demonstrated aptly last year it’s ability to absorb more traffic when the runway works at its sister airport shifted flights to DWC. To that end, DWC is well on the way to being a dominant hub not just for Dubai, the UAE and GCC — but for the world too,” he added.