In another remarkable first for Dubai South and the country, yesterday saw the inauguration of the VIP Terminal at Dubai South by His Highness Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group, His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan Bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, Advisor to the UAE President, and His Highness Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Bin Khalifa Al Nahyan. The largest purpose built facility of its kind in the world, the terminal is poised to be a game changer in the business aviation sector, offering VIP customers a seamless travel experience, coupled with time and cost efficiencies within a thriving aviation ecosystem.
The 5,600 m2 VIP Terminal, minutes away from the Al Maktoum International, the largest airport in the making, is Dubai’s new and prestigious gateway for VIP travellers, offering superlative services and connectivity.
With incomparable experiential retail as a core attraction, the VIP Terminal boasts stylized luxurious interiors, designed to maximise privacy and serenity, while engaging the passengers with specially curated, bespoke high-end shopping products.
Inspired by the aerodynamic fluid lines of an aircraft wing, the VIP Terminal façade is an architectural beauty that mirrors the aviation heritage of Dubai South. The seamless lines of the structure and the logo are replicated in the interiors that are classically designed with luxurious material including solid oak panelling. Louvered screens coated in a special bronze and gold metallic finish, allows the play of light to lend depth, perspective and privacy. The interiors and exteriors of the VIP Terminal use lighting and space to create drama and heighten the sense of opulence. Take the handcrafted, 1,000-piece post-modern chandelier in the main hall, a spectacular inclusion that is befitting piece of art at the VIP Terminal.
Inherently structured to maximise and revolutionise the customer experience, the VIP Terminal offers luxury product placements, experiential advertising, discreet promotions, limited editions bespoke and specially curated products. The strategic shift away from traditional product promotion, will result in passenger led engagement driving the duty-free retail showcase. This includes a wide array of products from the arts and culture with paintings, sculptures and priceless artefacts, to cars, watches, real estate, super bikes, adding to the immersive experience.
The VIP Terminal currently hosts three FBOs including Falcon Aviation, Jetex and Jet Aviation.
The VIP Terminal saw its first private jet take off in April this year, since then to date the terminal has witnessed 1,000 flight movements with the number anticipated to grow to 4,000 movements in 2017.
As the world’s first master-planned airport city, Dubai South is concentrating on building state-of-the-art infrastructure around the Al Maktoum International, thus creating a thriving aviation ecosystem. The Aviation District provides a specialized business environment that meets all the needs of the aviation industry. Spanning an area of seven square kilometres, this district is the new permanent home of the Dubai Airshow and caters to all practical aspects of private and commercial aviation.