Business | Aviation
Dubai Airports launches executive travel facility
Dubai Airports on Sunday launched its 12,900-square-metre VIP terminal and executive travel facility at Dubai International Airport.
- By Nadia Saleem, Staff Reporter
- Published: 23:50 November 16, 2008
Dubai: Dubai Airports on Sunday launched its 12,900-square-metre VIP terminal and executive travel facility at Dubai International Airport.
The Executive Flights Centre (EFC) is located close to Terminal 2 and includes a 5,500 square-metre two-storey main building, a 3,700-square-metre hangar, a 3,700-square-metre ramp area for aircraft parking and a special VIP car park for long-term parking. The new facility is the largest dedicated business aviation terminal of its kind in the Middle East.
Shaikh Ahmad Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and chairman of Dubai Aiports, said in a statement: "This development is part of our strategy to cope with the rapid growth of the business aviation sector in Dubai and in line with the greater objective of making Dubai the most preferred destination for international business and tourism."
Rapid rate
Jamal Zaal, head of executive services at Dubai Aiports, said the demand for EFC services has been increasing at a rapid rate, especially over the recent years. "In 1988, the year that EFC was opened, 208 flight movements were recorded. Last year, the total number of flight movements at the EFC terminal reached 9,432, while this year, the figure already stands at 7,050 for the first three quarters of 2008," he said.
"We've increased the movement of private jets by 29 per cent every year."
Paul Griffiths, chief executive of Dubai Airports, said at the launch of the facility that they are trying to increase the overall movement at the airport.
The terminal's ramp area can accommodate up to 22 small private jets, or eight to 12 medium-size jets, or three large jets. The facility also boosts advanced security and technology.
Griffiths said that the facility would be the first executive terminal in the Middle East with e-gate services. He added that the next executive facility by Dubai Airports would go on stream next year.
The first terminal at the Al Maktoum International Airport at Jebel Ali will handle 7-8 million passengers and a part it will be segmented for executive clients, according to Griffiths. "The runway will be operational by June 2009, and the first terminal will be operational from the end of October," he said.
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