NEW JET SET FLYS THROUGH DUBAI

VANITY FAIR - THE NEW JET SET - DUBAI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT EMIRATES AIRBUS - AIRPORT  link her to the full informative article

by Graham Boynton   Photographs by Stephen Wilkes

 

EXCERPTS:

 

This is Dubai International Airport’s $4.5 billion Terminal 3, the exclusive province of Emirates airline. Covering nearly 18.5 million square feet, it is the largest air terminal on the planet. Dubai International also ranks alongside Singapore’s Changi, Hong Kong International, and Beijing Capital International as the most passenger-friendly. Every week from this airport’s Jetways, 130 international airlines operate more than 6,000 flights to some 260 destinations on every continent except Antarctica.

 

In January 2013, Dubai International opened Concourse A—aviation’s first facility dedicated entirely to Airbus A380 superjumbos. Located in Terminal 3, it is a magnificent building. Huge first- and business-class lounges connect directly to the A380 upper decks; economy-class passengers board from the lower level. The new concourse has already increased Dubai’s traffic to 75 million passengers a year, moving it past London’s Heathrow as the world’s busiest international airport. By 2018 that number is expected to pass 90 million, overtaking vast domestic hubs such as Atlanta and Beijing...

 

At the back of the upper-deck cabin, directly behind business class, is the pièce de résistance: a fully operative stand-up bar that has been the social hub on every Emirates A380 flight I have taken. To make space for this in-flight lounge, Emirates president Tim Clark says, he has had to sacrifice six premium seats, but declares, “It’s the most popular thing we’ve ever done. They have a real party down there.” On this flight a group of Italian contractors join two British couples around the bar soon after takeoff. And they’re all still there six hours later as the plane starts its descent. It is, indeed, some party...."

 

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Missy here!  Read this article.  If you haven't traveled by air in a while you may consider transferring through this airport just to see the architecture and soak in the vibe.  Just expect to be seated by class and ticket price on the airbus, and since each class boards separately, you probably won't have much luck sneaking into First Class to sit with royalty and the stars!