Emirates airline is to invest up to $12 billion in its future home at the new terminal at Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC).
The airline will spend billions on infrastructure, including catering facilities and aircraft hangars, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed, chairman and chief executive of Emirates Airline and Group, said at a media event on Tuesday at Dubai Airshow.
The $35 billion airport terminal at DWC is under construction and the first phase is expected to be finished by 2032 with a capacity to handle 150 million passengers a year. Once fully completed, the airport is set to reach a capacity of 260 million annual passengers.
Dubai International Airport, Emirates airline’s current home base, is expected to handle 95.3 million passengers by the end of this year and reach the 100 million mark in the next 18 months, Paul Griffiths, chief executive of Dubai Airports, said in October.
Sheikh Ahmed’s comments came after UK Export Finance (UKEF) on Tuesday issued an expression of interest for up to $3.5 billion in funding for the expansion of DWC.
UKEF is a government department and the nation’s export credit agency, which partners with private sector finance providers to grow UK exports and international trade.
The announcement, made during a ceremony at Dubai Airshow, marks the first international expression of interest in the mega-project.
Commenting on how the $3.5 billion funding from the UK government will be used, Sheikh Ahmed said: “When we talk about Al Maktoum International, it’s much more than that.”
“So that [today’s announcement] will be a drop in the ocean, but it is welcome to see such governments to be really pushing for their company to be there and to be part of Dubai’s success.”
The UAE and UK have a long-standing trade and economic partnership.
“Al Maktoum International Airport is set to redefine the future of global aviation, creating significant opportunities for British suppliers to showcase their cutting-edge capabilities,” Chris Bryant, UK minister of trade, said in a statement.
The project is being delivered through a structured programme that entails “advanced engineering, resilient design and long-term planning”, Khalifa Al Zaffin, executive chairman of Dubai Aviation City Corporation said.
If you go
The flights
Emirates (www.emirates.com) and Etihad (www.etihad.com) both fly direct to Bengaluru, with return fares from Dh 1240. From Bengaluru airport, Coorg is a five-hour drive by car.
The hotels
The Tamara (www.thetamara.com) is located inside a working coffee plantation and offers individual villas with sprawling views of the hills (tariff from Dh1,300, including taxes and breakfast).
When to go
Coorg is an all-year destination, with the peak season for travel extending from the cooler months between October and March.
Bert van Marwijk factfile
Born: May 19 1952
Place of birth: Deventer, Netherlands
Playing position: Midfielder
Teams managed:
1998-2000 Fortuna Sittard
2000-2004 Feyenoord
2004-2006 Borussia Dortmund
2007-2008 Feyenoord
2008-2012 Netherlands
2013-2014 Hamburg
2015-2017 Saudi Arabia
2018 Australia
Major honours (manager):
2001/02 Uefa Cup, Feyenoord
2007/08 KNVB Cup, Feyenoord
World Cup runner-up, Netherlands
Top New Zealand cop on policing the virtual world
New Zealand police began closer scrutiny of social media and online communities after the attacks on two mosques in March, the country’s top officer said.
The killing of 51 people in Christchurch and wounding of more than 40 others shocked the world. Brenton Tarrant, a suspected white supremacist, was accused of the killings. His trial is ongoing and he denies the charges.
Mike Bush, commissioner of New Zealand Police, said officers looked closely at how they monitored social media in the wake of the tragedy to see if lessons could be learned.
“We decided that it was fit for purpose but we need to deepen it in terms of community relationships, extending them not only with the traditional community but the virtual one as well,” he told The National.
“We want to get ahead of attacks like we suffered in New Zealand so we have to challenge ourselves to be better.”
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Despacito’s dominance in numbers
Released: 2017
Peak chart position: No.1 in more than 47 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Lebanon
Views: 5.3 billion on YouTube
Sales: With 10 million downloads in the US, Despacito became the first Latin single to receive Diamond sales certification
Streams: 1.3 billion combined audio and video by the end of 2017, making it the biggest digital hit of the year.
Awards: 17, including Record of the Year at last year’s prestigious Latin Grammy Awards, as well as five Billboard Music Awards
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Company%20Profile
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The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
Juventus v Napoli, Sunday, 10.45pm (UAE)
Match on Bein Sports
