Futuristic airport set for passengers in Dubai

September 18, 2013

Futuristic_airport

Dubai, Sep 18: The futuristic Dubai World Central Al Maktoum International Airport, envisioned to be the world’s largest airport complex when fully completed, is set to open for passenger flights next month following the certification for operation of its new passenger terminal.

The General Civil Aviation Authority, or GCAA, the sole regulator of all licenced airfields within the UAE, has certified Al Maktoum International for passenger operations after assessing and confirming full compliance of the aerodrome with its stringent requirements.

Dubai Airports, the company that operates the emirate’s two airports, said on Tuesday that the certification paved the way for a successful opening of the new passenger terminal building on October 27. It is designed to accommodate up to seven million passengers per year.

When completed, DWC will be the largest airport in the world with five runways and capacity for 160 million passengers and 12 million tonnes of cargo.

Saudi Arabia’s Nas Air and Hungary’s Wizz Air are expected to kick off operations at the new facility. The airport eventually expects to welcome Emirates airline in the mid-2020s.

The GCAA’s Air Navigation and Aerodrome department said in its letter that it accepted the implementation process for full passenger operations at the new airport and acknowledged the “hard work and commitment of Dubai Airports in achieving the status of full aerodrome operations”.

“Regulatory oversight is managed through the close cooperation of Dubai Airports Airside Operations staff who work closely with the GCAA to ensure that all aspects of operations at both DXB and DWC are fully compliant with the highest professional international standards and regulations set out in federal law,” Dubai Airports said in a statement.

“This is a welcome and critical step forward in the process of preparing DWC for full passenger operations,” said Jamal Zaal, vice-president of Airside Operations at Dubai Airports.

“We will continue to press ahead with trials that test every system, process and piece of equipment in the new terminal, be it signage, gates or boarding procedures to make sure the new facility is ready to accept passengers on October 27.”

Facility preparations culminate in advanced passenger trails on October 12, when some 1,000 members of the travelling public will test the full passenger journey through the new terminal to identify any areas for improvement before its doors open for business, the statement said. An advanced passenger trial using employees will take place in early October as a dress rehearsal for the public trials.

Dubai Airports experienced overwhelming support from volunteers in its trial recruitment campaign and was oversubscribed within the first 48 hours.

“As was the case with Concourse A trials last year, the support from volunteers has been tremendous which only goes to prove that in Dubai, people are passionate about aviation,” said Paul Griffiths, chief executive officer of Dubai Airports.

Dubai Airports is even considering whether to increase the capacity of Al Maktoum International Airport to 200 million passengers per year. Griffiths was quoted in an interview recently as saying that it was likely that Dubai would build an airport capable of handing up to 200 million passengers. “Ultimately, we want to create the world’s largest airport, and we’re looking at the design capacity.”

The world’s current busiest airport is Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport in the US, which handles around 89 million passengers a year.

Dubai Airports is currently working on a 2045 master plan to help manage the expected growth of the emirate’s two facilities.

The emirate’s first airport, Dubai International Airport, is undergoing a $7.8 billion expansion plan to boost its capacity to around 100 million by 2020.

The airport is projected to become the world’s busiest in terms of international traffic at some point in 2015, overtaking London Heathrow. Cargo operations at Al Maktoum International Airport started in 2010. During the first six months of 2013, air movements rose 37 per cent to 10,237, up from 7,474 movements in the first half of 2012. For the second quarter of 2013 air movements rose 35.4 per cent to 6,133, up from 3,961 in the three months to June 2012.

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News Network
May 7,2020

Dubai, May 7: The holy month of Ramadan is expected to be a 30-day month this year, said Ibrahim Al Jarwan, member of the Arab Union for Astronomy and Space Sciences.

According to Arabic daily Emarat Al Youm, he said that Sunday, May 24, will mark the end of the holy month of Ramadan and the beginning of Shawwal.

Additionally, he said that the crescent of Shawwal will occur on Friday, May 22, at 9.39pm, after sunset, and will be visible on Sunday, May 24, the beginning of Shawal, which makes Ramadan a 30-day month this year.

He added that the next Ramadan is expected to start on April 13, 2021, and the one after that on April 2, 2022.

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KT
June 15,2020

Dubai, Jul 15: His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, announced the launch of a 'New Media Academy in Dubai on Monday - a new institution that will train people on the science of digital media.

Taking to Twitter, Sheikh Mohammed said that new media is a new science that has its own set of special tools and secrets, and that the future cadres of UAE must be at the forefront of it.

"The academy will prepare new experts and managers in the field of communication in government and private institutions, as well as training professional social media influencers", Sheikh Mohammed tweeted, adding that the new media is providing new job opportunities and careers today, and will always be a main supporter in the journey of development.

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Agencies
July 23,2020

Abu Dhabi, Jul 23: Muslims in the United Arab Emirates have been asked to perform Eid Al-Adha prayers at home even as mosques will be allowed to operate at an increased capacity of 50 percent from Aug. 3.

Mosques in the UAE have been operating at 30 percent capacity after they reopened on July 1.

Announcing the move, Dr. Saif Al Dhaheri, the official spokesman for the National Emergency, Crisis and Disasters Management Authority, stated that after assessing the situation and coordinating with the concerned authorities, it was decided that Eid Al-Adha prayers would be conducted in homes and takbeers broadcast through visual and audio means.

He also announced that the Emirates Fatwa Council has recommended that donations and sacrifices should be to official charitable causes in the country only.

Al Dhaheri advised the public to donate during this time to the official charitable bodies in the country with sacrifices and donations, through smart applications concerned with sacrifices or through slaughterhouses outlined by the local authorities that guarantee the application of precautionary and preventive measures and provide remote services without the need to enter livestock markets or slaughterhouses.

Al Dhaheri stressed the need to avoid family visits and gatherings, and replace them using electronic means of communication or phone contact, as well as refraining from distributing Eid gifts and money to children and individuals during this occasion recommending to instead use of electronic alternatives.

Al Dhaheri pointed out that it is necessary to avoid visiting pregnant women, children and those with chronic diseases who are most vulnerable to COVID-19 and not to allow them to leave the home and avoid going out to public places to preserve their health and safety.

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