The Emirates Group will finance a $137 million terminal expansion program for the Dubai International Airport. The Terminal 2 expansion will be conducted in two phases. The first phase will see the construction of an interim terminal building, which is set to begin within the month and will be completed by August 2003.
The second phase will see the construction of a larger and a more passenger friendly Terminal, which is scheduled to be completed by 2005. A special feature of the expansion will include a restaurant facility for 300 persons. This is specially to cater to the demands of the ever-increasing charter airlines coming in to Dubai.
Terminal 2 opened in 1998 and marked the first step towards the completion of the Department of Civil Aviation’s far sighted development of the airport for the new millennium. It was part of the $540 million, Dubai International Airport’s first phase of expansion program. Terminal 2 was designed essentially to handle chartered, executive and special flights and alleviate the congestion resulting from Terminal 1 renovation,” stated President of the Department of Civil Aviation and Chairman of Emirates Group, Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al-Maktoum.
“When it opened 23 airlines were operating out it. Today 36 airlines, scheduled and chartered operate out of the terminal and this figure is expected to grow. On average Terminal 2 has witnessed a 20 percent growth each year since it opened. Passengers using Terminal 2 has reached 1.2 million in 2002, which is a growth of 26 percent over 2001,” added Al-Maktoum.
Part of the overall $4.1 billion seond phase of Dubai International Airport expansion project, Terminal 2 will be built in compliance with ICAO regulations which include 100 percent screening of hold baggage, flow separation of arriving and departing passengers and total access control for staff to restricted areas.
The expanded Terminal 2 will be capable of handling multi airline operations and large aircraft such as the A380. The Department of Civil Aviation is looking to bring in more chartered airlines and Terminal 2 will specially be designed to handle these. — (menareport.com)
© 2003 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
