Dubai Airport gets private aviation services centre

A new private aviation services centre at the Dubai International Airport will consolidate the importance of Dubai on the world travel map, said Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Chairman of Emirates Group. He said the new centre will be a qualitative addition to the list of distinguished services provided by Dubai International Airport to this category of passengers and meet their aspirations according to standards that are difficult to be matched. The setting up of the centre according to the highest technical and operational standards meets ambitious strategies developed by Dubai Airports to provide anything that can consolidate the airport’s international reputation among passengers, especially businessmen, at local and international levels, he said. Sheikh Ahmed spoke at the unveiling of the new building and identity of the centre on the sidelines of the Middle East Business Aviation Show. The centre, built in the Dubai Airport Free Zone, extends on an area of 5,500 square metres. It consists of two floors equipped with all necessary services and facilities. It contains eight halls for VIPs. The centre, which works around the clock and is regarded the biggest of its kind in the Middle East, provides inspection points related to passports, customs, police and two e-Gate devices that the passengers can use if they want their travel via the airport to be quicker. The number of private planes in the region tops 300. This figure is projected to increase greatly over the next few years to meet growth rates in the travel of businessmen in the Middle East. Statistics issued by Dubai Airports reveal that Dubai International Airport posted a big growth in the movement of private aircraft. The number of trips jumped from 238 in 1988 to 1,888 in 2000 and to 9,432 in 2007, an increase of 29 per cent compared to 2006. Wam