Phase 1 of the proposed expansion, worth an estimated AED 14 million ($4 million), will cover: the temporary expansion of the existing terminal building; the installation of a new baggage claim carousel and two new passenger boarding gates; and the construction of a dedicated transit lounge, restaurants and related works. The proposed facilities will be completed by August.

The expansion's second phase, costed at AED 486 million ($133 million), calls for: the demolition of the existing terminal building; the construction of a new two-level terminal building over 110,000 square metres and with 60 new check-in counters, 38 passport control desks and 22 boarding lounges; and the installation of 22 passenger boarding gates with aerobridges, 11 aircraft parking bays, and six baggage claim carousels.

The proposed facilities are targeted for completion by end-2005. Tenders for the phase 2 expansion will be issued by end-2003. The consultant is a team of France's Aeroports de Paris with Beirut-based Dar al-Handasah (Shair & Partners).

The proposed expansion will increase the annual passenger handling capacity of terminal 2 to 5 million from 500,000 at present.

The project comes under DCA's overall expansion programme for the airport, which centres on the construction of a third terminal, two new concourses, a mega cargo terminal and related facilities (MEED 16:11:01).

Originally, DCA put the total project costs at $2,500 million. However, these have recently been revised upwards to $4,000 million. 'The additional investment is mainly due to the construction of several new access roads to Dubai airport, the cost of land acquisition and related issues,' says a DCA official.