Al Maktoum International Airport welcomes its first flight
The Dubai World Central – Al Maktoum International Airport, one of the worlds largest airports to-be, welcomed its first test cargo flight yesterday, thereby kick-starting operations, due to begin next Sunday.
The Emirates Flight EK9883, a Boeing 777 freighter operating Hong Kong-Dubai and piloted by Captain Ahmad Bin Huzaim and First Officer Nabil Yousuf Ahmad Mohammad Rai Al Boom, touched down on Sunday afternoon.
According to President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Chairman of Dubai Airports, Shaikh Ahmad bin Saeed Al Maktoum, this is a major milestone, not just for airport’s certification process, but is another major step towards achieving Dubai’s vision to become the pre-eminent center for aviation world-wide.
The airport forms a part of the $33bn DWC project, which will be a major boost to Dubai’s reputation as a transport hub. The master plan of the project includes six inter-linked developments – Al Maktoum International Airport – World’s largest Airport, Dubai Logistics City, DWC Residential City, DWC Aviation City, DWC Commercial City and DWC Golf City.
The developments are aimed to serve the aviation, tourism, commercial and logistic requirements of the city up to 2050 and beyond.
The first phase of the airport will feature A380 capable runway 64 remote stands, a cargo terminal with annual capacity for 250,000 tonnes of cargo and a passenger terminal building designed to accommodate five million passengers a year.
On completion, DWC-Al Maktoum International will be the largest airport in the world, with five runways, four terminal buildings and capacity for 160mn passengers and 12mn tones of cargo.
The facility opens initially for cargo carriers, with passenger operations due to begin by end of March 2011, the Dubai Airports Company announced.
Posted on 21/6/2010
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