Dubai Airports Company, the operator of Dubai International and Al-Maktoum International airports, has extended the service contract it signed in 2015 with Germany-based Siemens Postal, Parcel & Airport Logistics (SPPAL) for the baggage and material handling systems at the two international airports in Dubai.

The service contract extension is for six years, with an option for further extension.

At Dubai International, the service contract covers the baggage handling systems at Terminals 1, 2 and 3 as well as the material handling system at the Dubai Flower Center.

The contract also covers the operation and maintenance of the baggage handling system (BHS) at the recently expanded Al-Maktoum International.

The contract entails end-to-end baggage handling system operation, all aspects of troubleshooting, a continuous improvement process, predictive and preventive maintenance and extensive spare parts management, Siemens said in a statement.

Dubai International processed 88.2 million passengers in 2017, growing 5.5 per cent over the previous year, while Al-Maktoum International processed under one million passengers in 2017.