New Dubai airport eyes point-to-point traffic

The UAE's new airport, Dubai World Central - Al-Maktoum International Airport, will initially have a point-to-point network, although there is potential for a major carrier or airline grouping to develop a hub at the gateway in time, said Anita Mehra Homayoun, vice president for marketing at Dubai Airports.

Speaking yesterday (September 14) at World Routes in Beijing, Homayoun said: "Initially operations will be focused on point-to-point traffic, although there will be a train connecting the new airport to the current Dubai International and some airlines will look at developing interline traffic. In time, however, Al-Maktoum could develop into a hub. We would welcome that - if its good for the UAE and good for the economy then we would welcome it," she said.

Phase 1 of the new airport is set to open in June 2010 although Emirates, Dubai International's key airline customer, won't be moving to the facility for at least 10 years. Hamayoun said Dubai Airports is expecting one million passengers to pass through the facility in its first year.

Once completed Al-Maktoum will have five runways and five terminals with the capacity for 160 million passengers by 2025. This would make it the world's largest airport.

Hamayoun added that it was not clear what would happen to the current airport once the new one has been completed, but there has been some discussion about it being used at a dedicated facility for the Dubai Air Show.

Lucy Siebert, Routes News