Dubai now has two major airports, the Dubai International Airport (DXB or OMDB) and the newest the Dubai World Central or the Al Maktoum International (DWC or OMDW). The Dubai World Central is set to reopen to passengers in May 2022, two years after the coronavirus pandemic forced the city to suspend operations at its second airport. Dubai World Central will see airlines including Wizz Air, some FlyDubai operations and a few Russian airlines return, though Emirates will operate passenger flights solely out of the main Dubai International Airport for the foreseeable future.
Two years ago, Dubai World Central suspended operations at its second airport. Now it’s getting ready to reopen https://t.co/o9dQpPqYE1
— Bloomberg (@business) November 14, 2021
With some work on the runway at Dubai International Airport and with the reduction in capacity they will start to move operations back to DWC, Chief Executive Officer Paul Griffiths said at the airshow on Sunday.
What The $82 Billion Airport Is All About?
The Al Maktoum International Airport is already a functioning airport, accepting both passenger and cargo flights and hosting the bi-annual Dubai Airshow. However, the government of Dubai has much bigger plans for the facility. The airport is located around halfway between Dubai International Airport and Abu Dhabi Airport, with the government hoping that one day it will become Dubai’s main airport.
Although the airport is much further out of the city than the Dubai International Airport, it has one huge advantage- space. While Dubai international is penned in on all sides, DWC has plenty of space reserved for its expansion. Indeed, the current area will only play a minimal role in the finished product. The total cost of the airport has been estimated in a range of a whopping $82 billion.
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The Campus Will Have Refugee Camps, Training School & More
Having officially opened in 2010, the airport was handling more than 1.6 million passengers in 2019. This was aided by a partial closure of Dubai’s main airport, rerouting some flights. However, when complete, it should be able to handle some 260 million passengers. The entire facility will be more than just an airport, also hosting Emirates’ training school, refugee camps, and other such additional facilities.
To prepare for higher tourist arrivals, concourse A at Dubai International is set to reopen on Nov. 24, bringing the airport to full operation. Griffiths has previously said that easing Covid-19 restrictions will boost travel through one of the world’s busiest hubs, and international visitor numbers may more than double next year.
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17tH edition of Dubai’s airshow
Back for its 17th edition, Dubai Airshow 2021 at the Al Makhtoum International Airport is this year’s only live and in-person aerospace event that features the world’s most advanced aircraft on the ground and in the air.
The IAI aims to expand its strategic partnerships in the region and boost relations with local companies like UAE’s Etihad Engineering and on aircraft maintenance with Bahrain’s Gulf Air, amongst others. This year, for the first time ever, Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), a world-class aerospace and defense company, will participate in the Airshow at Booth 300.
Dubai Air Show kicks off at UAE’s Al Maktoum airport amid pandemic https://t.co/tyx7cxqt5p
— Hindustan Times (@HindustanTimes) November 15, 2021
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