Mohammed inspects airport Concourse 3

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai inspected the Emirates’ Airbus A380 Concourse 3, the world’s first dedicated facility at Dubai International Airport that is home to airline’s growing fleet of super jumbos.

Sheikh Mohammed, accompanied by Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, and other senior officials, was assured of the quality of world-class services and facilities as well as comfort and good treatment provided by the airport authorities to inbound and outbound travelers using the Dubai Airport, one of the world's busiest airports.

Sheikh Mohamed began his tour with the Departures Hall at Concourse 3 where he stopped at Emirate's check-in counters, baggage screening facilities and passport counters.

He interacted with passport officers, urging them to show handsome treatment and warm welcome to travelers.

His Highness then took the internal monorail connecting Concourse 3 to Concourse A where passengers board the superjumbo Airbus A380.

He toured different facilities there and was assured of the services provided for the convenience of travelers.

He then shuttled back to the Arrivals Hall at Concourse 3 where he inspected the baggage handling tracking system.

Sheikh Mohammed expressed satisfaction at the level of existing coordination between the Emirates Group and the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) in regards to the e-link between them.

The new smart travel system, which will be introduced early next year, will help travelers process departure procedures in no time at Emirates' counters with no need for any immigration counter or officer at the airport.

Acting Director General of GDRFA Major General Obeid bin Muhair told Sheikh Mohammed that more than one million passengers had passed via Dubai Airport from the Eid Al Fitr holidays up till now.

His Highness instructed the airport staff to show good conduct and paint a smile on the face of passengers, reflecting the genuine Arab generosity and hospitality of the UAE people and further elevating the UAE's prominent standing at regional and international circles in both official and popular levels.

''Welcoming guests of the country with broad, sweet smile and pleasant words as well as assisting whoever needs help from children, patients and the elderly promotes genuine essence of our hospitable people and contributes to attracting tourists to our country to know our heritage and culture,'' Sheikh Mohammed emphasised.

Sheikh Mohammed and his accompanying delegation also stopped at Concourse D, currently under-construction as part of Dubai Airport latest expansion plans to increase capacity so as to cater for growing movement in passengers and aircrafts.

Once operational by the fourth quarter of 2015, the terminal will leverage the airport capacity to accommodate 92 million passengers.

Sheikh Mohammed was briefed by Khalifa Al Zafeen, the CEO of Dubai Airports, on design, components and state-of-the-art facilities of the terminal which will have the capacity to welcome 18 million passengers and 17 planes (Boeing 777 and Airbus A 380) at one time.

The Dh4 billion Concourse D, Al Zafeen said, will be 700 metres in length and 47 metres in width and will be connected with Terminal 1 with a 350 metre elevated rail link.

Sheikh Mohammed said he was pleased with the progress of work in the ambitious project, which he considered an extension of the airport expansion and modernisation plan to become the favourite destination for inbound and outbound travelers.

He also instructed achievement of the project on the scheduled time, commitment to highest standards of security and safety and provision of all forms of convenience to all travelers of all nationalities.

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