Dubai Airport proposes VIP tunnel for air taxi passengers, reveals CEO

Dubai: Dubai International Airport (DXB) is exploring the use of a tunnel to offer VIP transfers between the airport and its upcoming vertiport, DXV, in what could become a seamless premium service for flying taxi passengers.

Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports, revealed that the tunnel, located close to the vertiport, could be repurposed to provide direct, slick transfers for premium air taxi passengers.

“There is actually a tunnel that exists between close position to the vertiport and the airport, and we're just seeing if we can use that tunnel for VIP transfers between the two because if we are able to make it a very slick operation and take people to and from the air taxi and straight onto their flight, that would be a huge uplifting convenience,” Griffiths told Gulf News in an interview on Wednesday.

The proposal would extend the airport's Al Majlis premium service to air taxi passengers, creating an integrated luxury travel experience. Al Majlis offers dedicated fast-track immigration, security clearance, private lounges, and personal escort services.

“We have our Al Majlis premium service, and I think the air taxi would be a beautiful extension of that, and we've talked to the air taxi operator about how that might work. So, I think it will be a really, really good service and watch out for more news as we move more closely towards that," he added.

Griffiths confirmed that construction of the vertiport is well advanced, with the facility set to revolutionise urban mobility in the UAE.

It is the first of four initial air taxi vertiports developed by UK-based advanced air mobility infrastructure company Skyports Infrastructure (Skyports) and approved by the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), UAE's aviation authority.

“The idea of aerial mobility using flying taxis is going to be a huge game changer, particularly as we see the roads so congested. The ability to be able to travel reliably, as the crow flies between two points without any traffic in your way, is going to be a big game changer,” he said.

While acknowledging that the service won't be available at huge scale immediately, Griffiths expressed optimism about the transformative potential of air taxis. “We're working on getting the interface between stepping off a plane and into your air taxi to be as slick and convenient as it possibly can be,” he noted.

Griffiths also revealed that Al Maktoum Internation Airport (DWC) will also have its own vertiports.

“The idea is that DWC will have its own vertical integration. So, you'll be able to go directly from DWC to all the other vertiports that spring up all over the country," he said.

In fact, when the first crewed flight of an electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aerial taxi was conducted by Joby Aviation in November 2025, the aircraft took off from Margham and landed at DWC.

According to the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), the commencement of passenger transport services is expected this year in collaboration with the GCAA and Dubai Civil Aviation Authority.

Griffiths predicted massive expansion of vertiports across the UAE, driven by the convenience and groundbreaking nature of the transport mode. "I'm very, very confident that the last mile participation with air taxis will be very significant over time," Griffiths added.

The Dubai Airports CEO highlighted that current air taxi technology represents just the beginning, with future versions promising greater speed, capacity, and range.

"I'm very optimistic about the impact that flying taxis…We've only seen version one. When we get greater speed, greater capacity and greater range, it will be a game changer for the face of personal mobility,” he said.

With the air taxi operations, the country's vision is to become a global leader in advanced air mobility solutions.