New facilities at Dubai International Airport

Dubai International Airport is all set to lure more than 600,000 tourists with special needs during the current year. Also the Airport infrastructure is being modified with enhanced services to make it more user-friendly for such tourists.

The Chairman of the Executive Board of Dubai Civil Aviation, Jamal Al Hai, has stated that the main objective behind this current enhancements being done, is to drive home the concept of tourism for all. By initiating such facilities, Dubai is likely to be the preferred tourist destination for individuals with special needs.

The facilities currently being carried out include twenty immigration counters that are dedicated to serve people with special needs, and a separate route exclusively designated to the disabled, so that they could reach the security lounge directly, without having to rush through the crowd. This special route will include refreshment counters, ATM counters, and other facilities designed particularly for individuals with special needs. This is likely to make Dubai International Airport, as the most user-friendly airport in the Middle East.

The year 2005 had witnessed around 300,000 demands for wheelchairs at the Dubai International Airport and the figure rose to 400,000 last year. The figure is expected to touch 600,000 this year.

The Dubai Immigration Chiefs are supporting the idea, and are studying proposals so that easier and quicker visa procedures could be introduced. Also, the average time, between arrival and departures at the airports, which is otherwise taken by a passenger, is about twenty minutes. According to authorities, this duration could be considerably reduced for those with special needs through the introduction of these new services.

Posted on 14/5/2007

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