New Dubai airport hosts first "live" flight by Cheap Flights Booker UK

The new Dubai World Central-Al Maktoum International airport hosted its first "live" flight yesterday (20 June) and passed a series of operational tests.

Emirates flew a Boeing 777 freighter from Hong Kong to Dubai and touched down at the new base at 16:50 local time.

The airport will open for cargo operations on 27 June and is set to begin welcoming passengers at the end of March 2011.

In its first phase of opening, the hub will feature one runway capable of accommodating the Airbus A380 and a terminal designed to host up to 5m customers every year.

When it is fully operational, Dubai World Central-Al Maktoum International will reportedly be the largest airport in the world, with four terminal buildings, five runways and the capacity to handle annual traffic of up to 160m people.

Commenting on the recent test flight, Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman of Dubai Airports, said: "This is an important milestone, not only for the airport"s certification process, but as another step towards achieving Dubai"s vision to become the pre-eminent centre for aviation worldwide."

Travellers can catch Airbus A380 flights to Dubai"s existing international airport from London Heathrow with Emirates.


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