The already monumental Dubai International Airport is set to get a whole lot bigger, with confirmation earlier of approval for a US$7.8 billion expansion plan.

Under the proposals, capacity at the property will increase from 60 million to 90 million passengers per year, allowing Dubai to challenge for a place at the very top of the international arrivals league.

The plan is designed to deliver aviation infrastructure which will support the continuation of the sector’s impressive growth.

It responds to a ten year traffic forecast for Dubai International (DXB) and Dubai World Central (DWC) that projects international passenger and cargo traffic will increase at an average annual growth rate of 7.2 per cent and 6.7 per cent respectively. 

“The combination of rallying tourism, Dubai’s proximity to the emerging economies of India and China, and the emirates’ established role as a trading hub, is together expected to drive traffic growth and further elevate Dubai’s status as a global centre for aviation,” said HH Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman of Dubai Airports.

The strategy includes aggressive expansion plans for airspace, airfield, aircraft stands and terminal areas at Dubai International over the remainder of the decade which will optimise investment, deliver timely capacity and create a robust revenue stream, fuelled by increased commercial and retail income, which will fund the development of Dubai World Central in the long term. 

Expansion in the air

Within the local airport environment, airspace expansion plans focus on optimising runway capacity and implementing efficient systems and processes in order to accommodate and manage additional aircraft movements. 

Beyond the vicinity of the airport itself, Dubai Airports is engaging national and regional civil aviation authorities and air navigation service providers to ensure that air routes are decongested, bottlenecks are reduced and latent airspace capacity is unlocked.

Next generation technology such as performance based navigation and dynamic airspace management will be deployed over the coming years to harness the capabilities of modern fleets and increase airspace capacity.

City.Mobi

Also in the Middle East today, City.Mobi is celebrating the success of its new guide to Dubai.

City.Mobi offers the most comprehensive mobile travel guides available, with over 800 cities in 200 countries listed. Each is developed by the City.Mobi team to combine into a single global travel directory.

However, each city retains its own mobile identity via a dedicated domain. Already on offer are Brussels.Mobi, Paris.Mobi, Sanfrancisco.Mobi and Sydney.Mobi.

Dubai.Mobi is the latest in this illustrious line up, offering click to call functionality – which means no scribbling down telephone numbers.

Most entries are also linked to websites where users can quickly access more detailed information if needed.

Other key features include information on accommodation, restaurants, attractions, entertainment, nightlife, shopping, and transport.

City.Mobi guides include user reviews and traveller utilities such as a translation guide, currency converter, news and local weather guide.