World’s First A380 Facility Fully Open For Business

All Gates Now Operational at the “Home of the A380”

Emirates and Dubai Airports recently announced the successful completion of the phased launch of Concourse A – the home of the A380 and the world’s first purpose-built facility for the aircraft at Dubai International.

All 20 A380 capable contact gates and Emirates luxurious First Class and Business Class lounges, which comprise 29,000 square meters of the facility, are now fully operational after a five-week-long phase-in period.

During the first month of operations following its inaugural flight on 2 January 2013, EK003 bound for Heathrow and operating from one of the four contact stands opened during Phase 1, Concourse A has handled 461,972 pieces of luggage carried on over 2,450 flights serving 589,234 passengers.

An Emirates A380 at the new Concourse A.

Concourse A is part of the Terminal 3 complex built for the use of Emirates, from where its passengers can travel to its network of 21 A380 destinations across Europe, North America, Australia and Asia.

With 11 floors and a total built-up area of 528,000 sqm, Concourse A is connected to Concourse B and Terminal 3 via an underground train. Unlike any other airport facility in the world, the First Class and Business Class lounges have dedicated floors that offer direct and convenient access to aircraft boarding gates.

Concourse A boosts capacity at Dubai International from 60 million to 75 million passengers per year. It is a vital part of Dubai Airports’ $7.8 billion Strategic Plan 2020 which will increase airport capacity to 90 million by 2018.