Fourteen airlines to use DWC while Dubai International Airport runways are closed

Fourteen airlines have reserved slots for flights at Al Maktoum International at Dubai World Central (DWC) while major runway upgrade work is carried out at Dubai International Airport.

The upgrade work, which is designed to improve safety, service and capacity levels, will begin on May 1 and is set to last for 80 days.

Of the 14 airlines which have applied for slots at DWC, flydubai, PAL Express, Jet Airways, Royal Brunei Airlines, Yemenia Airlines, Equatorial Congo Airlines, Malaysia Airlines and Ural Airlines are relocating from Dubai International. All Emirates Airline flights will continue to operate out of Dubai International.

The number of flights at Dubai International will be reduced by 26 per cent while the refurbishment of the runways is carried out.

The project involves the resurfacing of the entire 4,000-metre long northern runway, which is nearing the end of its design life and will be closed between May 31 and July 20, as well as the upgrading of runway lighting and construction of additional taxiways and rapid exits on the southern runway – which will be closed from May 1 to May 31.

Dubai Airports is urging passengers to check their flight details to confirm which airport they will be travelling from and arriving at.

“We have planned this project to optimise capacity while protecting service levels and, in conjunction with Dubai Aviation Engineering Projects, airlines and other stakeholders, have deployed all the resources necessary to make it as smooth and seamless as possible,” said Paul Griffiths, the Dubai Airports chief executive.

“While we regret any inconvenience caused to our airline customers and our passengers, these upgrades are necessary to heighten safety, boost capacity and pave the way for future expansion.”

Dubai International has recorded seven consecutive months of double-digit growth and overtook London Heathrow as the largest airport in the world in terms of the number of international passengers for the first two months of the year, amassing 5.6 million passengers in February alone.

However, Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, the director general, General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), said last week that the airport needs to find a way to use both of its runways simultaneously to avoid exceeding its capacity.

ioxborrow@thenational.ae

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