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Issue 4 2008, Past issues / 1 August 2008 /
Dubai is undergoing dynamic growth in all areas of its economy, which has long diversified away from the oil sector.
Today, the contribution of the oil sector to Dubai’s GDP is under five per cent, while the services sector, with an average annual growth rate of 21 per cent since 2000, has been the key driver of Dubai’s economic rise. In 2005, the service sector constituted 74 per cent of Dubai’s GDP.
Dubai’s strategic plan for 2015 lays specific emphasis on travel and tourism, trade, and transportation and logistics, among others, as highly conducive sectors for future economic growth. Dubai’s investments in these sectors are in line with this greater plan. The value of investments in Dubai’s tourism, hospitality, leisure, entertainment, and real estate projects, over the next five to seven years is estimated to be approximately US$ 365 billion. (more…)
Issue 4 2008, Past issues / 1 August 2008 /
The New Doha International Airport (NDIA), currently under construction in Doha, is set to propel the State of Qatar further into the international spotlight when it opens in less than three years’ time. Upon completion, the new airport will become an important centrepiece in the infrastructural development of Qatar’s capital city of Doha, with a key objective of being a global transportation hub, linking East and West.
The airport will be the new home for Qatar Airways, one of the fastest-growing airlines in the world. Since its relaunch in 1997, Qatar Airways has rapidly expanded from operating four leased aircraft a little over 10 years ago to now owning more than 60 modern Airbus and Boeing aircrafts. The airline currently has over 200 new aircraft worth a staggering USD 30 billion on order, including eighty Airbus A350s, sixty Boeing 787 ‘Dreamliners’, thirty Boeing 777s and five Airbus A380 ‘Superjumbos’. (more…)
Issue 4 2008, Past issues / 1 August 2008 /
The largest development project in the 80-year history of Kuwait International Airport is taking shape. A state-of-the-art aviation hub for the region will create an impressive ‘front door’ for visitors to this dynamic nation.
Despite the global aviation slowdown, the latest statistics from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) show the Middle East leading the industry for growth and the State of Kuwait is determined to be at the forefront.
Crucial to achieving that position and assisting in the national goal of transforming Kuwait into a financial and commercial centre for the region is the Kuwait International Airport Master Plan, the road map for the development of the gateway over the next 30 years and beyond.
Although the airport has undergone numerous upgrades and renovations over the last 25 years, including an almost total rebuild in 1991 following the Liberation of Kuwait, the latest Master Plan unveiled by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) aims to lift facilities onto an altogether higher plane. (more…)
Issue 4 2008, Past issues / 1 August 2008 /
CAIRO International Airport, with a wider range of traveller amenities and the brand new Terminal 3 (currently under construction), promises to make the airport experience more exciting and pleasant for passengers. After the opening of the terminal in the fourth quarter of 2008, Cairo International Airport will comprise of three terminals capable of handling over 22 million passengers.
The airport’s two current terminals have a combined capacity of approximately 11 million passengers. The tremendous traffic growth of over 15 per cent in the last year, however, has increased CAI’s throughput to reach 12.5 million in 2007, leading to some bottlenecks in peak times. The new Terminal 3 will double capacity at Cairo, and is the key for the future growth of CAI.
The first quarter of 2008 has already shown an increase of 20 per cent compared to the same period of last year. We expect that this growth rate will continue in 2008 due to EgyptAir joining the Star Alliance in July of this year, and the phased liberalisation of the air traffic market in Egypt. (more…)
Issue 3 2008, Past issues / 30 May 2008 /
Aeropuertos Argentina 2000 is an international consortium whose share interest is made up of Argentine and Italian capitals. Since February 9 1998, AA2000 has run the exclusive concession for the exploitation, management and operation of Group A, within the Argentine National Airport System. This is comprised of 32 airports (this represents 98% of the total air traffic of Argentina, comprised of passengers, movements, and cargo), including the international airports of; Ezeiza, Aeroparque, Río Gallegos, and Mendoza, Córdoba, Salta, Formosa, Iguazú, Posadas, Resistencia, Río Grande, San Fernando, Bariloche, Comodoro Rivadavia, and Tucumán.
From the moment Aeropuertos Argentina 2000 took over the air terminals, a lot has been achieved in the fields of new services, infrastructure and design in accordance with the Masterplan presented by the company. The total investment estimated for the thirty-year term, set forth under the agreement, will amount to 2 billion dollars. (more…)
Issue 3 2008, Past issues / 30 May 2008 /
With the population of South East Queensland on the rise and the region becoming more and more popular as a tourist destination, over 17 million people are travelling through Brisbane Airport every year. Now is the time to lock in the benefits of growth by investing in the future. (more…)
Issue 3 2008, Past issues / 30 May 2008 /
Who could possibly imagine that a seven-year-old airport could sweep most of the prestigious awards in the international airport industry? Incheon International Airport, the gateway to South Korea and one of the largest and busiest airports in Asia, is leading the way into the region’s future.
Incheon International Airport (IIAC) was a high-tech surprise the moment it opened its doors to the world in March, 2001. A symbol of the very hope and pride it instilled in the Korean people. IIAC is now getting ready to reveal its new face in the grand opening of its second phase facilities, giving the world cause for excitement and astonishment, and laying down an entirely new paradigm for future airports.
The airport processed 31.5 million passengers, 2.5 million metric tons of cargo and 210,000 flight movements in 2007. These numbers have been growing by 8.3% annually. Currently 69 airlines are serving Incheon International Airport, linking 160 cities worldwide. With this remarkable growth, Incheon International Airport ranked 10th in the world in terms of international passenger volume and 2nd in international cargo traffic in 2006. (more…)
Issue 3 2008, Past issues / 30 May 2008 /
Voted as the airport with the friendliest staff in the world, Auckland Airport (AKL and NZAA) is one of New Zealand’s pivotal infrastructure assets and a major South Pacific hub. It contributes some NZ$19 billion to the national economy and is the principal gateway to ‘the land of the long white cloud.’ More than 70% of international visitors enter or leave New Zealand via Auckland Airport and it handles more than 12 million passengers a year. It is Australasia’s second busiest international airport, after Sydney, and New Zealand’s second largest freight port by value.
Thus, Auckland Airport represents the nation and can claim the title, ‘New Zealand’s Airport’. Its vision and strategy are based on this premise. (more…)
Issue 2 2008, Past issues / 28 March 2008 /
Buried deep in the mountains, Quito, the capital of Ecuador, is set in the Pichincha province at 2,800 metres above sea level (masl). The International Airport, Mariscal Sucre, opened 73 years ago, is located at the same altitude.
For this South American country, bordering with Colombia at the north and Peru at the south, tourism is the third most important source of income, after oil and bananas. According to the National Police Migration Management, over 800,000 foreign tourists come to the country every year, with 300,000 passing through the Quito airport.
Exports of agro-industrial products are another important line of business, which fosters the progress and development of this 256,370km2 country. According to the Superintendence of Companies, 88 cargo handling companies operated in 2004. From these, 62 are located in Pichincha (Metropolitan Quito District).
Such passenger and cargo volume, plus urban growth of the capital city, have turned the Mariscal Sucre International Airport into an unsafe and undersized airport (it is located in the middle of the northern area in Quito). (more…)
Issue 2 2008, Past issues / 28 March 2008 /
The new terminal is a reflection of rapid regional and global integration, spurred by a burgeoning economy and developing tourism.
Uruguay is a small South American nation of just 3.4 million people, nestled between Brazil and Argentina. Its Carrasco International Airport (Aeropuerto Internacional de Carrasco-AIC), sited 18 kilometres from downtown Montevideo, currently serves approximately 1.2 million passengers annually, and is the only airport in the country providing year-round direct international flights or connections. It carries great symbolic value as the ‘front door’ for many visitors to the country.
As Uruguay’s economy expands, inflation decreases, unemployment declines, and GDP rises, all signs indicate the country is poised for rapid growth in tourism. Last October, the beginning of the Uruguayan summer, the nation’s Tourism Ministry announced that it expected a record-breaking season of tourist expenditure at US $700 million, fuelled significantly by the country‘s budding reputation as a resort destination. (more…)
Issue 2 2008, Past issues / 28 March 2008 /
In the last few years, the Chilean aeronautical sector has experienced significant growth; in 2007 9,010,979 passengers were transported, of which nearly 8.5 million went through Santiago’s airport. In total, over 120,000 tons of freight and 95,000 operations make Arturo Merino Benítez Airport the main entrance gate to Chile.
The Dirección General de Aeronáutica Civil (Chilean Aviation Authority), together with the Ministry of Public Works and SCL Terminal Aéreo Santiago (the company which has administrated the Terminal since 1999 through a concession, in respect of the concessionary policy defined by the government), have carried out constant improvements in matters of infrastructure, technology and procedures to meet the demands of the users and the air transport.
The airport provides services such as Air Traffic Control, Air Operations Office (ARO), Airport Security, Fire Fighting and Rescue services, Meteorological Information, Passenger Terminal (national and international), Air Freight, Border Police, Customs, Sanitation (SAG), Private Flights Terminal (FBO), Handling, Catering, Bank and Finance, Aircraft Maintenance and Medical Emergency Services (SUM). (more…)
Issue 1 2008, Past issues / 4 February 2008 /
The €2 billion ‘Transforming Dublin Airport’ programme, which is now in its third year, is one of the largest construction projects in Ireland.
At the heart of that programme is a 75,000 sq metre new passenger terminal (T2) and a linked 24,000 sq metre new boarding gate facility, that will be known as Pier E. T2 is the biggest single project within ‘Transforming Dublin Airport’ and is also the highest profile element of the construction programme.
The core aim of Dublin Airport’s capital investment programme, which involves 120 separate construction projects, is to radically improve the passenger experience at the airport and address its current infrastructural problems.
Dublin Airport has been one of the fastest growing major airports in Europe in recent years. Passenger numbers have more than doubled over the past 10 years and last year more than 23 million people passed through Dublin Airport. (more…)
Issue 1 2008, Past issues / 4 February 2008 /
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) welcomes nearly 36 million passengers per year, making it the nation’s 11th busiest airport and the world’s 19th busiest in 2006 according to Airports Council International (ACI). Located approximately 26 miles (42 km) southeast of the major U.S. city of Detroit, Michigan, DTW is the primary international airport serving a metropolitan area of more than six million people.
DTW is also the largest hub and primary U.S. international gateway for Northwest Airlines, the world’s fifth busiest carrier, and the second-largest hub for ultra-low cost carrier Spirit Airlines. Together with 14 additional airlines – including five foreign flag carriers – Detroit’s airlines and their regional partners offer service to more than 160 non-stop destinations around the globe. (more…)
Issue 1 2008, Past issues / 4 February 2008 /
To some, Minnesota is the “Land of 10,000 Lakes,” birthplace of the Mississippi River and a woodland paradise for hunting, fishing and outdoor recreation. To others, Minnesota is the cultural and financial king of the Upper Midwest, a mecca for music and the performing arts, and headquarters of 20 Fortune 500 corporations.
Regardless of your reason for traveling to Minnesota, if you are arriving by air, chances are you will fly into Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. More than 35 million people travel through MSP every year, ranking the airport among the top 15 busiest in North America. Nearly every major U.S. airline operates at MSP, along with four headquartered in Minnesota: Northwest Airlines, which maintains a major hub at MSP; regional carrier Mesaba Airlines, which was recently acquired by Northwest; Sun Country Airlines and Champion Airlines.
Those airlines provide nonstop service to 122 domestic and 20 international markets. Direct flights between MSP and Amsterdam, London, Reykjavik and Tokyo provide a convenient link between America’s heartland and cities in Europe, Iceland and Asia. In April, Northwest Airlines will begin direct service to Paris from MSP as well. (more…)
Issue 1 2008, Past issues / 4 February 2008 /
On 5 December 2007, the long–awaited Houston-Dubai flight connecting two giants of the energy industry arrived at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH). The new nonstop Emirates service is a perfect example of how airlines that until recently were not seen at Houston’s air terminals, are poised to take advantage of the city’s growing demand for passenger and cargo services.
The Houston-Dubai route promises to be a money-maker for Emirates and provides a much needed nonstop link to the Middle East for Houston’s vast number of oil and gas companies. Thanks to the growth of foreign carriers and the availability of aircraft like the Boeing 777-200LR, which can fly longer distances, routes like this are no longer just a penciled entry on an airline planner’s dream sheet.
Today a number of airlines are showing keen interest in availing themselves of Houston’s growing market opportunities. As international agreements continue to open markets and new long-range aircraft with the ability to bypass traditional entry points take flight, their numbers will continue to increase. (more…)
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