Passenger terminal at DWC to be expanded

Dubai Airports yesterday confirmed that construction is expected to begin later this year on the expansion of Al Maktoum International at Dubai World Central's (DWC's) existing passenger terminal which will boost the current capacity of 6 million passengers a year to 26 million.

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 traffic. The project is a precursor to the US$32bn expansion project announced last September to create the world's biggest airport with an ultimate capacity in excess of 200 million passengers per year.

As part of the existing passenger terminal expansion the check-in area, baggage and immigration halls, as well as security screening areas, will be substantially expanded while the forecourt will be improved to ensure easier access to the parking and drop-off areas. Once complete the passenger terminal will provide a total of 24 boarding gates, 7 baggage reclaim carousels and an increase to 104 check-in desks. Construction is currently expected to be completed by the end of Q1 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 US$32 billion programme is in progress," said Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports.