Dubai International Airport's Dh9.25 billion phase 2 expansion is divided into five major parts, according to Dubai Department of Civil Aviation (DCA).

These include:
• Expansion of passenger facilities, which includes Terminal 3, Concourse 2 and Concourse 3;
• Expansion of cargo facilities, which includes the Mega Terminal;
• Expansion of airfield facilities, such as new aprons, taxiways, roads, tunnels, runway extension, etc;
• Expansion of special facilities, such as VIP Pavilion, Royal Air Wing, EK Technical & Adminis-tration facilities, catering, duty free warehouses, etc;
• Expansion of infrastructure and support facilities, such as drainage, sewerage, water supply, central utility plants, engineering complex and fuel farm.

Terminal 3

The terminal building is expected to represent a radical departure in terms of its design concept when compared to the existing terminal. It will be located beneath the apron and taxiway area and will directly link with Concourse 2.

This will be the first major difference between Terminal 3 and the existing Terminal 1, which is linked to the concourse (Sheikh Rashid Terminal) via a tunnel.

The DCA said the new design, in addition to being highly innovative, offers a number of distinct advantages such as:
• Simplified, easy passenger flow, both inbound and outbound;
• Reduced walking distances and avoiding tunnel connection;
• Highlighting the image of Dubai by creating a new visual experience from landside, which will be open and landscaped, providing extensive view of Con-course 2 and airfield operations.

The main features of the Terminal 3 building are a multi-level underground structure measuring 300x350 metres, first-class lounges and dedicated counters, restaurants, 180 check-in counters and 2,600 underground parking spaces.

The departures and arrivals halls within the terminal will be located 10 metres below the apron and taxiways, and passenger orientation will be heightened by maintaining visual contact with the landside through fully glazed facade at one end and Concourse 2, with its bright naturally-lit atrium at the other.

Passengers will be able to access the terminal via sloped travellators, which will be extremely user-friendly.

Vehicle parking is planned on two levels within a landscaped area, allowing uninterrupted view of Terminal 3 and Concourse 2 from the Airport Road. To achieve this, the parking area is set down within sloping areas with trees screening the view of the cars on the upper level.

Within the parking area, a commercial centre is to be planned around a rooflit central atrium.

The design consultant for this project is Aeroports De Paris International.

Concourse 2

Concourse 2, which will be directly connected to Terminal 3, is dedicated exclusively for Emirates. Though it will complement the existing concourse by retaining the overall tapered 'aircraft fuselage-like' profile, Concourse 2 will have its own distinctive architectural identity.

The main features of the building will be:
• Multi-level structure for departures, arrivals and other facilities;
• 27 contact gates and 59 passenger loading bridges;
• 5 gates to handle A380s;
• 924x80 metre area at mid-point, narrowing to 56 metres at both edges;
• Height at mid-point will be approximately 35 metres, sloping down to 27 metres at both edges;
• Connection to Sheikh Rashid Terminal at the Control Tower structure;
• 300-room hotel and health club, including 5-star and 3-star rooms;
• 10,000 square metres of commercial space which will include Dubai Duty Free and Restaurants;
• First and Business Class Lounges.

Concourse 2 will have five special aerobridges capable of handling the soon-to-be introduced Airbus A380 super jumbo. The two concourse buildings will be linked to allow transiting passengers move freely between the buildings and measures will be incorporated into the design to facilitate this movement and minimise transit time.

Arriving and departing passenger circulation systems will be fully segregated and travel distances minimised with the use of travellators. Likewise, level changes will be minimised, achieved by ramps and inclined moving walkways.

Concourse 3

In order to accommodate larger numbers of the new A380 super jumbo, the third concourse has been included in the expansion programme.

• Concourse 3 will be a scaled down version of Concourse 2 with climate controlled lounges;
• It will be connected to Concourse 2 by electric buses;
• It will have 27 contact gates;
• 12 gates will be for A380s.

The design consultant for this project is Dar Al Handasah Consultants (Shair and Partners).

The Dubai Cargo Village recently witnessed the opening of the dedicated Emirates SkyCargo Facility. At present, it can handle up to 675,000 tonnes a year.

Current growth forecasts, however, predict that by early 2004, additional major cargo handling facilities will be required to satisfy demand, and consequently plans are under way to implement the first stage of the Cargo Mega Terminal which will eventually, by 2018, have the capacity to handle 3 million tonnes of freight.

Main project components are:
• Hall 'B' Express Mail Centre;
• Cargo Mega Terminal;
• Administrative and agents facilities;
• Multistory car park;
• Elevated roadway;
• Central utility plant;
• Mosque and amenities;
• Flower centre.

The design consultant for this project is Dar Al Handasah Consultants (Shair & Partners) and the project work will be carried out in stages.

Phase 1 of the Cargo Mega Terminal, due to the highly specialised nature of its operation, installed equipment and systems, will be implemented through a cargo handling equipment specialist and an international building contractor, where the development and construction of the facility will be completed by the end of 2004.

The principal component of this project is the apron area around the proposed Concourse 2, providing for 27 wide-bodied aircraft stands. Of these, five will be dedicated to A380s. Construc-tion of this is under way and will be over by 2003.

All aprons will be built complete with taxiways and taxilanes capable of accommodating A380. Some existing taxiways will be expanded to complete the work associated with the newly commissioned second runway.

The existing apron, currently serving Terminal 2, will also be significantly extended to provide additional remote parking stands.