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Dubai Airports tests new A380 concourse

Dubai Airports has conducted the first operational trial involving members of the public, to test the readiness of the newly built Concourse A – the world’s first purpose-built A380 facility at Dubai International’s Terminal 3.

A collaborative effort between Dubai Airports and a number of its main partners – including Emirates airline, Dubai Aviation Engineering Projects, dnata and control authorities such as Dubai Police, the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigner Affairs and Dubai Customs, among others – the trial was aimed at determining the readiness of staff, systems and processes at the new facility by simulating a typical airport operation, said a statement.

Some 1,100 volunteers including men, women, children, senior citizens and individuals with special needs, played the role of passengers arriving at, departing from and transiting through Concourse A. 

 

Bahrain airport to expand capacity in 2013

The Bahrain Airport Company (BAC) has announced plans to further expand Bahrain International Airport (BIA) in the coming year. The project will include expansions to the main passenger terminal building and the construction of a major service centre, a statement from the company said.

The Bahrain International Airport currently serves a maximum of nine million passengers per year. Under the current plan, the airport’s capacity would expand to 13.5 million passengers per year.

Mohamed Yousif Al-Binfalah, chief executive of BAC, said: “One of the purposes of this project is to sustain the competitive advantage that BIA has in the region in terms of the time it takes the passenger to go through all the checks.”

 

Al Maktoum terminal to open by end-2013

Dubai’s new Al Maktoum International airport, which began cargo operations two years ago, expects to open its long-delayed passenger terminal by the end of 2013 it was announced by Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed al-Maktoum, president of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and chairman of Dubai Airports.

The Al Maktoum airport, part of the Dubai World Central logistics complex, was originally due to open for passenger traffic in March last year. The massive new airport is designed to cater to 160 million passengers as Dubai attempts to leverage its central location between continents as a hub for airlines.

 

DFW named most hassle-free airport in US

Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) has been named as the most hassle-free airport in the United States, according to a new survey conducted by Concur. The study shows travellers giving high satisfactory percentage levels, based on clear signage (42 per cent), good wi-fi coverage (41 per cent) and availability of a variety of quality food options (41 per cent).

The survey was conducted through an online interview with 1,500 passengers who regularly travel for business purposes. The respondents were asked to assess check in lines, security checkpoints, customs and airport signage, among many other factors.

With the growing reliance of today’s passengers on technology and connectivity, DFW provides free wi-fi coverage to all its passengers, a service instigated since April 2012, leading it to be ranked number 1 Tech-Friendly US Airport by PC World magazine. In addition to the high level of customer satisfaction, the increasing number of new airlines flying to the mega-hub, and the continued increase in domestic and international routes to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, is building on its reputation as the best international gateway into the US.

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