Largest airport's first flight

Largest airport’s first flight

Al Maktoum International Airport celebrates successful first flight as it prepares to open.

June 21, 2010 4:23 by Samuel Potter

Dubai aviation authorities have announced the successful completion of the first flight at Al Maktoum International Airport, reports the National.

Emirates Airline cargo flight EK9883, operating between Hong Kong-Dubai, touched down yesterday afternoon at the airport, serving as a live test flight that helped it pass operational tests, said the paper. The successful flight means the way is now clear for the airport to open on Sunday.

The first phase of the project features just a single runway, 64 remote stands, a cargo terminal with a capacity of 250,000 tonnes of cargo a year, and a passenger terminal for five million people a year.

Dubai Airports said Al Maktoum International will eventually have five runways, four terminal buildings and capacity for 160 million passengers and 12 million tonnes of cargo. The facility opens initially for cargo carriers, while passenger flights are slated to start next March.

“Al Maktoum airport and the surrounding property, commercial and leisure development, called Dubai World Central, is Dubai’s largest infrastructure project and is envisaged to become the world’s largest airport by the 2030s,” says the report.