Money
Sky-high hopes for Dubai: Airport’s T1 Reopens & Air Show to take off
There’s some big news on the way for Dubai
Dubai’s International Airport is one of the biggest transit hubs in the world and now it will soon reopen its Terminal 1, after closing it 15 months ago.
The airport is hoping for a “flood” of travelers as the COVID-19 pandemic slowly eases. Dubai International [or DXB as it’s also referred to] is projecting passenger traffic to grow 8% as demand resumes.
Terminal 1 is reopening this Thursday after a 15-month closure. Operations were consolidated through Terminals 2 and 3 last year as the pandemic took hold.
Terminal 1 has an annual passenger capacity of 18 million, while the entire airport can handle up to 100 million.
Thus this terminal alone, contributes millions of dollars to Dubai’s economy.
“I believe it will be an absolute flood of demand when people get the confidence to travel again,”
Dubai Airports Chief Executive Paul Griffiths told the media.
According to the airport’s CEO, the transit hub could see over 40 million passengers this year if it was “really, really lucky,” though it was likely to be somewhere between 24.7 million and 34.3 million.
“We’re comfortable with that mid-range of about 28 (million).”
Griffiths estimated the terminal’s reopening would result in 3,500 additional jobs at the airport, including those working in retail, hospitality, security and immigration.
The Dubai Airshow Given Green Light
The Dubai Airshow, this year’s biggest aerospace trade show and a point for aviation business deals worth billions of dollars, will be held under capacity restrictions in November.
Even though fewer deals are expected as the industry seeks to preserve cash, the show is seen as a psychological boost for airlines and planemakers to reset an industry battered by the health crisis.
The Dubai Airshow is a magnet for tens of thousands of visitors including planemakers, their suppliers, airlines, arms firms and military officials from around the world.
Over the years its became a key industry summit as state carriers like host Emirates reshaped international travel through their Gulf hubs.
And though covid 19 will make the event a little differnent tens of thousands will be tuning in live for the event,
Exhibition stands are to be spread further apart from each other this year than in previous shows to maintain distancing between attendees.
The wearing of masks is expected to be compulsory at the airshow.
