Dubai airport: a strategic hub

The world's first terminal dedicated to the Airbus A380 was a mammoth undertaking. It took 160 million man-hours and 930,000 m3 of concrete to build. In short, a project that matches the ambitions of Emirates, the largest operator of the giant aircraft. The Dubai-based airline, which recorded revenue growth of 17.2 % in the last fiscal year 2012-2013 and carried more than 39 million passengers over the same period, has 31 A380s to its credit and is awaiting delivery of around 60 more, representing almost a third of the orders received by Airbus for its superjumbo. The Dubai-based airline therefore had to think about a terminal dedicated to this imposing aircraft. Since January 2013, it's a done deal! The Concourse A satellite, with its 20 boarding gates specially designed for the A380, covers 528,000 m2 and is 645 metres long. Its 11 floors, pierced by a colossal glass lift, are housed in a vaulted ceiling that lets in the desert light. Dedicated solely to boarding - check-in is at the futuristic terminal 3, inaugurated in 2008 and linked by an underground rail link - the satellite is a real place of relaxation and pleasure. Its duty free shop is undoubtedly one of the most luxurious and extensive on the planet, its spa is divine, and the Moët & Chandon Champagne Bar is just one example of the multiplicity of gastronomic possibilities on offer, since the terminal offers a total of fourteen cafés and restaurants. But no doubt, beyond all the attention paid to passenger comfort, Concourse A is not just about convenience. It also symbolises the power of Dubai, which has become a first-rate hub, a position that has been strengthened recently since the Australian airline Qantas broke its historic agreement with British Airways and abandoned Singapore in favour of Emirates and the Emirati city for its stopovers in Europe.

Objective: to become number one

Currently ranked third in the world in terms of passenger and freight traffic, ambitious Dubai has its sights firmly set on the top step of the podium. "Concourse A is a crucial element in our overall investment of 7.8 billion dollars to ensure the expansion of the international airport, which is set to become the world's leading passenger hub by 2015", explains Paul Grifths, CEO of Dubai Airports. Encouraging signs: in its first month of operation, the terminal has already handled almost 600,000 passengers on a total of 2,450 flights to destinations all over the world. No doubt they will have been particularly impressed by the magnificence of the place. Among the extravagances of this futuristic building bathed in natural light: a floor dedicated to luxury hotels with the 170 rooms and suites of the Dubai International Hotel and, above all, two almost revolutionary lounges. "We now offer the largest Business and First lounges in the world", explains airline spokeswoman Anna Garcia proudly. The First space is all the more admirable in that it is almost as large as the Business space, whereas on the A380 there are only 14 seats in First for 76 in Business". Located one above the other, the 16,550 m2 Business class lounge and the 12,500 m2 First class lounge extend along the entire length of the satellite, allowing passengers to wait close to their boarding gate, which they then reach by lift without even having to leave the lounge. As soon as you enter the First lounge, which has all the hallmarks of a grand hotel lobby, you are in for a real treat: alabaster counters, metal mesh walls in the style of macroscopic jewels, armfuls of white flowers... Then you have access to a mini duty free area, a wine cellar and the cigar lounge with Chesterfeld armchairs, a bar and very Old England stained glass windows. There are also two gourmet restaurants where you can order à la carte in front of an open kitchen, as well as two sushi bars, two 'silence' areas with leather deckchairs and large pillows, and two vast conference rooms. In the lounge, passengers can choose between a foot reflexology session to boost circulation before a long flight, a back massage or a mini-manicure, treatments offered at the Timeless Spa, located on the lower level. All Emirates passengers have access to this wellness area, but this time for a fee and by appointment. The luxury of the Business Lounge and the quality of services are just as impressive, with an abundance of quiet corners and work areas, marble bathrooms, attentive staff, refined buffets, all the international press... It's easy to see why, since its creation in 1985, Emirates has received more than 500 international awards for the excellence of its services. "In order to create a form of unity within the airline, the Emirates lounge in Paris has just been renovated this spring. It offers the same type of services as in Dubai, the same furniture, the same tones, the same materials, so that passengers can enter a coherent universe full of softness", concludes Anna Garcia.

Suites in the clouds

This cocoon of luxury can also be found in-flight. First of all, direct access to the boarding gates saves an impressive amount of time and stress. So you can step aboard with complete peace of mind, and you'll be delighted to discover that the Business areas on the A380 are very, very private. Each seat, which can be transformed into a real bed or a massage chair, is equipped with its own minibar and an intuitive XXL touch screen. What's more, the entertainment system is extremely efficient: there's no need to interrupt your film to switch to other programmes, and you can even start your cinema session before take-off. During the flight, a bar is set up in the middle of the cabin so that Afaires passengers can relax, chat and move around a bit. The same goes for the First class, which boasts a spa, showers and private suites. In other words, the seven-hour flight to Paris seems almost too short...