7.56 PM Thursday, 28 March 2024
  • City Fajr Shuruq Duhr Asr Magrib Isha
  • Dubai 04:57 06:11 12:27 15:53 18:37 19:51
28 March 2024

Terminal Three trial run successful

Published
By Staff Writer

The first major operational trial of Dubai International Airport's new Terminal Three has been carried out – bringing closer moves to open the building this year.

The advanced trial followed a series of basic tests that were conducted by operator Dubai Airports over the past few months.

The exercise attracted more than 2,200 volunteers from a cross-section of UAE society, with many participants turning up at Terminal Three with families and friends. The trial was designed to simulate typical airport operating situations and was the first of a series of similar exercises involving the general public.

"The response from the public to the operational trials programme has been overwhelming, right from the beginning," said Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports. "I thank all the volunteers who signed up for the trials and, in particular, all those who contributed to the success of the first trial with their active participation. We hope they will be back for upcoming trials.

"These trials will prepare us as much as possible to ensure that we meet the needs of our customers when our new terminal opens."

The trials have been designed to test the terminal's systems and processes as well as the preparedness of staff. They will help the Dubai Airports' management team to detect any shortcomings and ensure smooth operations at the new facility from day one.

As part of the first major trial, volunteers – men, women, the elderly and children – acted as passengers travelling to a number of destinations. They moved through the facility in order to test traffic flow, signage and services provided by the airport's strategic partners such as the police, immigration and customs.

Dubai Airports will carry out second major trial by the end of August, followed by another one towards the end of September.

Dubai Airports invited the public in June to become involved in testing the operational readiness of the new terminal, with a target figure of 4,000 volunteers. The response was so tremendous that, within a short period of time, more than 15,000 people had registered online to become part of an important chapter in Dubai International's history. Terminal Three and its airside facility at Dubai International will increase the airport's capacity to 60 million passengers annually.

Some of the key benefits of the trials include a realistic assessment of the readiness of the new facility, improved customer service quality at the airport and on-the-job staff training.

The Dubai airport's Terminal Two expansion and Concourse Three are both scheduled for opening in the fourth quarter of this year.

"We should be able to move into Terminal Three by the last quarter," Emirates airlines President Tim Clark recently told Emirates Business. "The Terminal Two expansion for the regional carriers is going at such a fast pace, it is really an airport under pressure."