HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, last month approved the designs of the new passenger terminal at Al Maktoum International Airport and ordered the immediate start of work on its expansion at a total cost of AED128 billion ($34.8 billion).

Almost five times the size of Dubai International Airport, Al Maktoum International will comprise five parallel runways with a quadruple independent operation, west and east processing terminals, four satellite concourses with over 400 aircraft contact stands, an uninterrupted automated people mover system for passengers, and an integrated landside transport hub for roads, metro, and city air transport.

On completion, it will be the world’s largest with a capacity to handle 260 million passengers. The move, which comes as part of the Dubai Aviation Corporation’s strategy, will see all operations of Dubai International Airport get transferred to the new facility in the coming years.

“With the use of new technologies for the first time in the aviation sector, we are preparing for a new phase in the growth of the global aviation sector. We are preparing for a phase in which Dubai leads the international aviation sector for the next 40 years,” remarked Sheikh Mohammed.

“We are also building an entire airport city in Dubai South, which will raise the demand for housing for one million people ... and will include the most important companies in the world in the logistics and air transport sector,” he added.

Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports, said: “The growth of Dubai has always been hand in hand with the growth of its aviation infrastructure and today we see another bold step on that journey.”

“The announcement of Phase Two of Dubai World Central – Al Maktoum International Airport’s (DWC) expansion, representing a substantial investment of AED128 billion, marks the start of a huge investment of resources by our many stakeholders in designing and building a state-of-the-art airport that will provide a quick, convenient, and high quality 21st century experience for our customers. This further solidifies Dubai’s position as a leading aviation hub on the world stage,” he said.