Tag Archives: airport
Now flight check-in from Dubai airport taxi
Now flight check-in from Dubai airport taxi Lily B. Libo-on / 6 March 2014 WI-FI service, LCD screens in 100 Dubai cabs Passengers heading to the Dubai International (DXB) and Dubai World Central (DWC) Al Maktoum International Airport will not have to worry about checking in on time for their flights. They can now check in and browse for travel information directly from their taxis on the way to the airport. The Dubai Taxi Corporation (DTC) has recently introduced WI-FI service and fitted 200 LCD screens in 100 taxis so that customers can log on to several websites, including Emirates Airline and Dubai Airports. AN LCD touchscreen in one of the airport taxis. — Supplied photo In an interview with Khaleej Times , Mansour Rahma Al Falasi, Acting CEO of DTC, said the project started in December last year and the DTC awarded a three-year contract to Techno Line Company for introducing smart technology and LCD smart screens in taxis. “By the end of April this year, we will finish fitting all these interactive screens in all our 3,914 taxi.” He said the DTC has started work on two projects for its taxi fleet this year, one is the Taxi Light with smart screens to be completed by the end of March, and the other is the installation of smart LCD screens and WIFI technology in all DTC cabs by the end of April. “These projects are in line with Dubai’s e-government’s campaign to give premium services and use the latest available technology in upgrading various services and bringing them at par with the best international standards. This also reflects DTC’s keenness to provide services in smooth, express and transparent manner to address the needs of customers from various sectors of the community, especially making the most luxurious and exquisite transport in Dubai,” Al Falasi said. He said this is the time to keep pace with state-of-the-art technologies and avail the technology of WI-FI, mobile, and Internet connectivity. “Customers can also access the internet service on their own devices – iPhones, Windows, smart phones and Android – to see different DTC and RTA advertisements, marketing and promotional offers made by various interested public and private institutions, which buy or rent such advertising spaces in direct coordination with Techno Line Company. They can also file complaints, submit suggestions, thank cabbies and avail special offers through these interactive screens,” he added. He also said the interactive LCD screens carry DTC’s corporate identity and display various information about taxi fares, prices of services, events and activities organised by DTC both internally and externally. “They also show icons for questionnaires conducted by the DTC to find out customer’s views and public opinion on services offered in different seasons.” Al Falasi said that the taxis are also fitted with speed limiter for the safety of tourists and residents of Dubai, hiring the DTC taxis. lily@khaleejtimes.com For more news from Khaleej Times, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/khaleejtimes , and on Twitter at @khaleejtimes Continue reading
Dubai airports are ready to see more growth: Ahmed
Dubai airports are ready to see more growth: Ahmed Patrick Michael / 12 February 2014 Shaikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman of Dubai Airports, and Chairman and CEO of Emirates airline and Group, wears many hats with effortless ease. Even as airline and airport operators in other global markets struggle with uncertainty, he is leading the continuing growth of Dubai’s aviation sector, an unprecedented record in times of sectoral volatility. Under his supervision, the senior team of Emirates airline has proven to be reactive, consistently innovative and ahead of the global game. Having learnt the lessons of the global financial crisis, Shaikh Ahmed is adept at using the aviation sector’s significant footprint on gross domestic production (GDP) to steer Dubai’s economy along the right track. Beyond the immediate economy — and aviation-sector related strategies — he is also in charge of ushering in a greener Dubai, serving as chairman of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy. Across all these roles, his functioning style is characterised by a thoroughly hands-on approach. More recently, he has been formulating economic, investment and fiscal policies and strategies in support of the emirate’s overarching vision. In a freewheeling interview, Shaikh Ahmed talks about Dubai’s aviation sector, Emirates’ challenges and opportunities and dismisses fears of another Dubai bubble. Excerpts from the interview: Shaikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum with Jonathan Chen Chwen-Jing Ph.D, Political Deputy Minister, Ministry of Transportation (left), and Wan-Lee Lee, deputy director-general of the Civil Aviation Administration (right), during a Press conference to celebrate the launch of Emirates’ non-stop daily service between Taipei and Dubai. — Supplied photo Dubai went through a very difficult phase between 2009 and 2011. As the person who led the financial advisory council, what are the key lessons you learnt from the crisis? Is Dubai ready for another bubble? Shaikh Ahmed: There is no real bubble in Dubai and there’s nothing to indicate it is leading up to one. The countries that were crippled by the 2009 economic crisis have learnt their lessons well and most of them are now almost back on track, and so is Dubai. The real estate bubble that everyone seems obsessed with is really not there. The creation of regulatory bodies to oversee developers, brokers and financiers, besides others safeguards that have been put in place will ensure there will not be a repeat of the 2009 crisis. Dubai has surpassed the targeted GDP growth and achieved 4.9 per cent growth in 2013. Its property market will continue to grow even as its economy continues to climb. Remember, Dubai’s fundamentals as a regional hub of shipping, services, people, trade and capital have not changed. If one considers the construction sector, a corporate diversification yielded high returns for five years, which helped (install) new infrastructure and fund the acquisition of new talent. What is the direct contribution of the aviation sector to the economy’s growth? What is the indirect jobs creation impact of Emirates in the UAE? Emirates is one of the major contributors to Dubai’s economy and we support the emirate’s overarching vision. We now support 28 per cent of Dubai’s GDP growth and will continue to do so as we move towards our target of 20 million passengers by the time Expo 2020 opens. Emirates has created thousands of jobs, both direct and indirect, and as we continue to expand these numbers will continue to grow. Dubai follows a three-pronged model for its aviation sector growth: Investing in airports, investing in aircraft, and addition of new destinations. Several other cities in the Arab world are following the same pattern. How much regional competition can be sustained in this industry? Is the growing competition a cause for worry? Are there openings for strategic collaborations? There’s absolutely no cause for worry. Everyone wants a slice of the cake and taste success and the cake is big enough for all who want to enter the industry and take a slice of it. It would be up to us to see how much of that slice we can take. I’ve always maintained, there is room for all. Over the years, there have been many new players like Qatar Airways, flydubai and Etihad, and all of us (are) doing well with enough of the cake left for those still eyeing a piece. As far as strategic collaborations go, we have an open mind. We already have code-sharing deals which are working to both parties’ benefit and we will continue to look at and study any and all collaborations that come our way, since these will vary from country to country. Shaikh Ahmed meets Taiwan President Staff Report Shaikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA), Chairman of Dubai Airports, and Chairman and CEO of Emirates airline and Group, met the President of Taiwan Ma Ying-jeou in Taipei on Tuesday. Shaikh Ahmed was in Taiwan to celebrate the launch of Emirates’ daily non-stop flights between Dubai and Taipei, which will open new opportunities both for business and for tourism, inbound and outbound. Shaikh Ahmed was joined at his meeting by Ali Mubarak Al Soori, Emirates’ executive vice-president — Chairman’s Office, Facilities/Projects Management and Procurement & Logistics, and Mohammad Al Ghaith. Later, Shaikh Ahmed along with Jonathan Chen Chwen-Jing Ph.D, Political Deputy Minister, Ministry of Transportation and Wan-Lee Lee, deputy director-general of the Civil Aviation Administration, held a Press briefing with over 70 Taiwan-based journalists and also media that had travelled from the UAE and the GCC on Monday’s inaugural flight. “Emirates has been working hard to promote Taipei across our global network and we will continue to do so. We are known as a connector of people, places and passions, and we look forward to connecting Taipei with our network,” said Shaikh Ahmed. Minister Chen extended his congratulations to Emirates, “Emirates is well known for its premium and quality service worldwide. Emirates’ Taipei-Dubai direct flight service offers Taiwanese passengers a more connected network and diversified options, and more importantly, help promote Taiwan tourism to the world. We expect more frequent interactions between both sides, and more people could learn about Taiwan.” “Emirates has been awarded Skytrax World’s Best Airline 2013, and we are happy to welcome another world-class airline to enter Taiwan. In recent years more and more Taiwanese value their pastime and choose travelling abroad to experience different cultures. Emirates non-stop service between Taipei and Dubai enables more Taiwanese to visit the Middle East, and vice versa,”said Lee. Is there possibility of overcapacity post-Expo 2020? Dubai is investing significantly in new aircraft and airport expansion in preparation to host World Expo 2020 and I can see no threat of overcapacity. Dubai is now the world’s fourth busiest airport for international passenger and cargo traffic and I expect to see more growth and recognition for Dubai. Expo 2020 is not for just two or three weeks. It’s for six whole months. This will allow us to spread our wings further and sustain the (airline’s) growth and profitability long after the expo is over. We will continue to expand and connect to more destinations. Many countries continue to approach us because of the airline’s high standards. The Dubai International Airport is set to undertake runway repair work later this year. What are the measures taken to ensure the shift does not affect international airlines’ operations? While the shifting is not simple, I am confident it will be a smooth one. We have picked the months when air traffic into Dubai is not so high. Some of the airlines will operate from Al Maktoum International Airport while most will continue to land at the Dubai International Airport. We expect no problems in the operations. The repair work will be undertaken between May and July and I don’t foresee any major disruption in traffic. Does Dubai have the capacity for two airport hubs? Al Maktoum International Airport is set to become a hub by 2020, especially as infrastructure in the vicinity gains traction. Dubai has always been about growth. The core business model of Dubai remains sound. With or without a booming real estate sector, Dubai is a commercial and tourism hub for a region that encompasses the markets of emerging Africa, South Asia, Russia, Central Asia and of course, the Gulf region. So yes, I am confident Dubai has the capacity for two airport hubs. Even as airline connectivity gains ground, one of the key concerns in the region is the choking air traffic congestion over the regional airspace. Will that affect Dubai’s expansion plans? We are not worried. We are in talks with other GCC aviation industry officials about air traffic congestion fears, but this will not in any way stop our expansion. At a time when airlines globally are yet to make robust returns, how does Emirates sustain its profitability? I have no doubts that Emirates will continue to be a profitable airline. Our strategies are in place and we will continue to expand and connect with more destinations even as we order new aircraft. The Boeing 777X is one of the largest orders we have placed and we hope to see this aircraft take to the skies by 2019. The new aircraft we have ordered will also have something even more pleasing and exciting for our passengers. The design is being worked on but right now that is a secret that will be revealed only when the time is right. Why the new flight to Taipei? Taipei has been an important market for Emirates since we launched our freighter services to the city in 2003. We have continued our commitment to Taiwan and due to the demand, we felt now was the right time to launch non-stop daily services between Taipei and Dubai. The service will bring Taiwanese consumers much closer to the UAE and the Middle East and we are very optimistic about this route. Through Dubai, Emirates offers passengers from Taipei a one-stop connection to 80 countries across the world. We are confident that this new route will open up new trade opportunities across the Emirates network as well as supporting business and tourism travel to Taipei. Etihad is expanding its footprint significantly through new alliances and equity participation. Will Emirates look at such participation in markets such as India, where the aviation sector is opening up? India has always been an important market for us and will continue to be so. Its sheer size and population dictate this and a big percentage of our profits comes from this market. But as far as the first part of your question goes, we have an open mind. Nothing is ruled out. What are Emirates’ plans for Africa? Which are the growth markets you see on the continent? Africa is another big market for us. It is a growth market and we will be looking at it very closely though I cannot tell you right now which market we will be connecting to next. — patrick@khaleejtimes.com For more news from Khaleej Times, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/khaleejtimes , and on Twitter at @khaleejtimes Continue reading
Al Maktoum International takes off today
Al Maktoum International takes off today Muzaffar Rizvi / 27 October 2013 Al Maktoum all set to start its quest to become the world’s busiest airport with the launch of commercial passenger operations today The stage is set for Al Maktoum International Airport at Dubai World Central (DWC), which is going to start its quest to become the world’s busiest airport with the launch of commercial passenger operations today. Hungary’s Wizz Air will kick off services at the new airport, which will be the largest in the world with five runways and a capacity for 160 million passengers and 12 million tonnes of cargo upon completion by 2020. Initially, the airport will be handling seven million passengers annually. Al Maktoum International, the UAE’s newest gateway, is part of a $132 billion DWC project, which comprises a 140sqkm multi-phase development of six clustered zones that includes Dubai Logistics City, Commercial City, Residential City, Aviation City and Golf City. Strategically located in the vicinity of the Jebel Ali Port and Free Zone, the development is the region’s first integrated, multi-modal transportation platform connecting air, sea and land, and will serve the region as an “international business hub” for decades to come. Once completed, the development will have up to four passenger terminals and five parallel runways, each 4.5 kilometres long. The airport’s first phase includes a single A380-compatible runway and 64 remote aircraft stands and is ready to offer airlines a complete new catchment area. The authorities are working hard to reinvent the airport experience at DWC with the launch of innovative services to cut short the journey time by reducing checks at the airport through state-of-the-art automated systems. Passengers may be able to get their security status predetermined before leaving for the airport by checking in from their home or office. “DWC is Dubai’s airport of the future and a fundamental element of our master plan, which is being designed to accommodate the tremendous passenger growth being projected until 2040 and beyond,” Dubai Airports chief executive officer Paul Griffiths said in a recent statement to Khaleej Times . Dubai Airports, which owns and manages the operations of Dubai International and Al Maktoum International, launched general aviation operations at DWC on April 28, 2011. The new 220sqkm airport has been handling cargo flights since June 2010 and has quickly established itself as an emerging cargo airport in the region with 36 airlines. It handled 219,092 tonnes of air freight during its second full calendar year of operations in 2012, reflecting an increase of 144 per cent over 2011. Following the approval from the General Civil Aviation Authority to begin receiving passengers today, Dubai Airports conducted an extensive operational trial to test the readiness of the passenger terminal building at Al Maktoum International earlier this month. Dubai Airports has so far confirmed memoranda of understanding with four airlines, three of which have identified operational start dates. As Wizz Air is all set to launch its operations from the new airport today, Kuwait’s Jazeera Airways and Bahrain’s Gulf Air will start serving the new facility on October 31 and December 8, respectively. Saudi Arabian low-cost airline nasair currently is the only airline that signed an MoU to serve Al Maktoum International, but is so far unable to identify the suitable time frame to launch its operation from the new facility. Wizz Air, which provides low-cost air transport across 30 countries with 16 bases across Europe, will provide non-stop services linking DWC to Central and Eastern Europe effective today. The airline has a fleet of 40 Airbus A320 aircraft operating over 1,500 weekly flights to 93 destinations. It is also planning to use Al Maktoum International as a base to further launch its operations to connect India and Pakistan to various destination in Europe. Jazeera Airways will start serving the new facility with two weekly flights starting October 31. Jazeera Airways serves 19 popular destinations in the Middle East from Kuwait. “We firmly believe that Al Maktoum International Airport has a strong potential and one day it will become one of the largest airports in the whole region. That’s why Jazeera Airways decided to be there first to operate flights to it,” Jazeera Airways Group chairman Marwan Boodai told Khaleej Times. Gulf Air, which commenced operations in 1950, plans to operate a daily service linking DWC to its home base in Bahrain. The airline already operates 51 flights per week into Dubai International and is quite confident of attracting more leisure and business travellers through Al Maktoum International. Bahrain’s flag carrier is a major international carrier serving 32 cities in 21 countries, spanning three continents. The airline operates one of the largest networks in the Middle East, with double-daily flights to over 10 regional capitals from its hub at Bahrain International Airport. Gulf Air serves all its destinations with a combination wide- and narrow-body fleet totalling 26 modern aircraft. “We are delighted to be the first full-service carrier operating to Al Maktoum International at Dubai World Central. The airport’s close proximity to the holiday, residential and business developments of Arabian Ranches, Dubai Marina, Dubai Media City and Palm Jumeirah make it an attractive, alternative and time-saving travel proposition for passengers located in or travelling to these areas,” said Maher Salman Al Musallam, acting chief executive officer of Gulf Air. Emirates airline may begin its service to Al Maktoum International in the mid-2020s, while Emirates SkyCargo’s new terminal at the new facility is expected to start operations in April 2014. According to aviation circles, more international and regional airlines are in discussions with Dubai Airports to start or shift their operations to the new facility in the near future. They say existing airlines operating to and from Dubai International are expected to start using the new facility in mid-2014 when its runway will undergo extensive works next year. The airport is undergoing a big expansion to increase its capacity to 100 million by 2020. “Al Maktoum will be a more busy facility in 2014 as many airlines may be temporarily shifting their operations to the new airport because of scheduled runway maintenance work at Dubai International,” according to an analyst. Airlines may be forced to reschedule their flight plans during an 80-day period of runway maintenance work starting on May 1. The renovation of two existing runways at Dubai International will hit airlines and they may redirect their flights to Al Maktoum International that will open a new window of opportunity for them. “With the current airport due to have extensive runway work next year, many airlines will look to see how the opening days and weeks of DWC fairs, so they can gauge whether it’s worthwhile temporarily or permanently moving operations there to take advantage of the new capacity at the airport,” Saj Ahmad, chief analyst at StrategicAero Research, told Khaleej Times. Ahmad said the opening of Al Maktoum International Airport paves the way for a decade or more of intense expansion and development at DWC, allowing extra flights, capacity and flight options for Dubai and its international passengers. “As a grand vision, airports being built on this scale are few and far between — and with Dubai World Central already operating an extensive freighter-based service for cargo airlines, the airport opening up to passenger flights will mean an additional gateway for passengers,” he said. Another analyst says Dubai is expected to be handling 260 million passengers annually by 2020 in case authorities decide to sustain operations at both Dubai International and Al Maktoum International in the wake of a successful bid for World Expo 2020. With a view of handling some 160 million passengers, Ahmad said Al Maktoum International Airport’s opening could not have come at a better time for Dubai. “The airport is also the permanent new home to the Dubai Air Show, which opens in a few weeks too — this is a great platform for Dubai and the UAE and it’s clear that the allure of Dubai and its travel options will only get more robust because of this new infrastructure,” he said. — muzaffarrizvi@khaleejtimes.com Continue reading
