Dubai Airport's terminal 3 to open from Oct 14

Catering to the needs of rapid expansion of Emirates fleet, especially the superjumbo Airbus A380, Dubai International airport is expanding its Terminal 3 at a whopping cost of USD 4.5 billion making it the world's largest dedicated facility for the big planes.  

The Terminal 3 will begin a phased transition of operations from October 14 and after completion of the ongoing expansion and Dubai International will have 25 gates for the A380s.  

"Terminal 3 and the associated development represent a much needed expansion of Dubai's aviation infrastructure. The new facility will play an important role in supporting Dubai's economic progress, and reaffirm the city's image as an emerging global aviation hub," the president of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and chairman of Dubai Airports, Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum said.  

The 'soft' opening of the Emirates Airline-dedicated terminal will undergo four phases of implementation. The expansion plan includes the construction of Terminal 3 and two associated airside facilities.  

"We want to make absolutely sure that all the systems and processes at Terminal 3 are working smoothly. We are also conducting a series of operational readiness trials at Terminal 3 and its airside facility as a run-up to the 'soft' opening in October." Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports said.  
Dubai Airports conducted the first major operational trial, involving over 2,000 volunteers, on August 9. The terminal is currently undergoing operational readiness trials for passengers departing or in transit.