DUBAI // Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, toured the new Emirates Airbus A380 Concourse 3 yesterday.
The facility – the world’s first dedicated to the super-jumbos – is at Dubai International Airport and is due to welcome its first flight in January, according to the state news agency, Wam.
Sheikh Mohammed was joined by his son, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai - among many other dignitaries, ministers and higher officials - during his inspection.
They were briefed by Khalifa Al Zafeen, chief executive officer of Dubai Aviation City.
Concourse 3 is 650 metres long and 90 metres wide with 11 storeys, four of them underground, according to Mr Al Zafeen.
There are automated passenger transport points for arrivals and departures.
During his one-hour visit, Sheikh Mohammed toured gates dedicated to lining up Airbus 380s, which were equipped with loading bridges for passengers to move between the planes and the terminal.
There are six additional gates for planes parked further away.
Concourse 3 has first and business-class lounges, four- and five-star hotels and a mall with 40 counters to follow flights and airlines. An internal metro carries passengers to and from Terminal 3, which is dedicated to Emirates Airlines flights.
It also connects to Terminal 2, which has a capacity for 19 million passengers annually. Overall, Concourses 2 and 3 will have a capacity for 43 million passengers annually.
Sheikh Mohammed wandered through the arrivals hall of Terminal 3 and inspected the counters.
At the end of his trip, he took the Metro to Burj Khalifa, describing the rail network as "the project of the century".
anwar@thenational.ae
