UAE airports will witness robust growth, with a 5.6 per cent increase projected annually until 2034.

The capacity of the UAE’s airports, which handled about 100 million passengers last year, will increase to 250 million passengers by 2020. UAE’s airports are investing up to $50 billion in new and expansion projects with smooth and efficient operations being the key expectation.

“The airport experience has changed at an amazing pace and it will change even more and for better in the next five years. Travellers have growing expectations from airports,” said Mohammed Fouz, CEO of Smartworld, the leading system integrator and Digital information and communications technology (ICT) service provider in the Middle East.

“Smart technologies are transforming airports for better passenger facilitation as they grapple with a big rise in passengers. In the past five years, smart technology has overrun virtually every part of our private and public lives, and air travel is no exception. Airports can benefit through a 25 per cent cut in operation costs and enhanced capacity handling by turning to smart technologies.”

Revolutionary technologies are changing the business model of airports which are grappling to provide passengers with seamless and unique travel experiences. Smartworld has been working with the airport operators in the region to help them in the adoption of smart technology to remain ahead of others across the world. 

A Markets and Markets study has pointed out that global market for smart airports will reach $13.5 billion by 2020.

The Arabian Gulf airports will welcome more than 450 million passengers by 2020. By 2020, about 100 million passengers will use Dubai International Airport, while Al Maktoum International Airport capacity will increase to 200 million passengers upon its completion. Moreover, aircraft movements in the UAE by 2020 will be over 1.2 million. International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) predicts a 5.2 per cent annual growth in regional air traffic until 2030.

“Passengers are looking for stress-free journey with diversified options and seamless experiences. All stakeholders want to be efficient, fast, cost effective and secure. Without a strong and modern IT infrastructure all those plans and scenarios will be just a wishful thinking,” Fouz said.

Established in 2008, Smartworld is a joint venture between Etisalat – a leading telecom operator in the Middle East - and Dubai World Central (DWC), a master-planned aerotropolis designed to become the world’s biggest airport. –TradeArabia News Service