Dubai airport boosts capacity

Dubai International Airport opened its new Concourse D on February 2. The facility is expected to boost the airport’s annual passenger capacity from 75 million to 90 million. The concourse is linked to the newly renovated Terminal 1 by a dedicated airport train that can transport 300 passengers per trip. The new facility is designed around a central atrium where travellers can walk a short distance to gates that allow them to board directly from the waiting area. A range of new dining and shopping options are on offer as well as comfortable seating spaces and wellbeing concepts such as Be Relax and ‘SnoozeCubes’. There will also be nine lounges – five airline lounges, a new Al Majlis lounge, two Dubai International Hotel lounges and a Marhaba VIP lounge. “Aside from its many customer-centric features, Concourse D continues our legacy of providing timely capacity,” said Paul Griffiths, ceo of Dubai Airports. On the apron, Concourse D provides 21 contact stands, four of which will be able to accommodate Airbus A380s or Boeing 747s, and 11 remote stands.