Slow launch for Dubai's new terminal

Dubai plan to open its new $4.5 billion terminal slowly and gradually, rather than all in one go to avoid the problems faced at Heathrow Airports Terminal 5, which is actually smaller than the new Dubai terminal.

The Dubai airports chief is purposely planning the slow launch after the huge public relations problem that occurred after the Heathrow Terminal 5 chaos.

The staff and systems for the new terminal are already being tested and training has started to ensure nothing goes wrong.  No specific opening day will be announced, but rather a gradual overspill into the new space.

The new terminal will more than double Dubai's capacity to around 65 million passengers a year.

Dubai is expanding extremely fast, and a new airport at Jebel Ali (Dubai World Central Airport - JXB) is also planned at the outskirts of the city (35 kilometers from Dubai), which will eventually see an estimated 120 million passengers.

Published by: Andy Skinner