Dubai Builds World's Largest Airport

Dubai has begun construction in earnest on its new Al Maktoum mega-airport, with the first phase proceeding on schedule. The project, costing approximately £23.6 ($31.2bn) and covering an area of 70 sq km, will become the world's largest airport upon its opening in 2032, according to the Daily Mail.

Once fully completed, it will have the capacity to handle up to 260 million passengers and 12 million metric tons of cargo annually, with all operations gradually being transferred here from Dubai's current main airport. The recent lifting of travel advisories for the United Arab Emirates by the British Foreign Office is also boosting tourism.

The new hub's main selling point will be the elimination of lines altogether. Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports, outlined a vision that will allow passengers to move through the terminal seamlessly without physically stopping at check-in, security, immigration or customs.

Passengers will be able to drop off their luggage before arriving at the terminal and complete check-in while en route to the airport. Driverless trains will connect the individual terminal halls. According to Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, this is a strategic project shaping Dubai's economic future.

A workforce of 9,000 people is currently employed at the construction site, where 10 million hours have already been logged. That number is expected to rise to as many as 120,000 during peak periods. The airport will feature five parallel runways and 400 departure gates.

(max)