Al Jaber LEGT Engineering and Contracting (ALEC) has won a major contract from Dubai Aviation City Corporation (DAEC) for the expansion of the passenger terminal building at Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai, UAE.

Under the agreement, the first phase of this project – which will increases the built-up area of the passenger terminal building from the existing 66,107 sq m to 145,926 sq m – will be completed by June next year. The airport will be able to handle up to 26.5 million passengers per year by 2025 following additional planned extensions.

Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, president, Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, chairman and chief executive, Emirates Airline and Group, and DAEC chairman, says: “The announcement marks a historic milestone in the journey of Al Maktoum International which is set to become the world’s largest airport.”

Upon completion, the Al Maktoum International Airport will ultimately have the capacity to handle more than 220 million passengers per year.

“Al Maktoum International is being designed to become an airport of the future. We are building a range of amenities and facilities that will increase capacity and significantly enrich the airport experience, making it an attractive proposition for airlines as well as passengers,” Sheikh Ahmed says.

As part of the proposed expansion work of the passenger terminal, the arrival building – which houses the public hall for arrivals, the baggage claim area and related services, as well as the arrival baggage handling system – will feature a new immigration hall for 55 control counters, visa and passenger utilities.

The departure building will see the expansion of the public hall, commercial areas and offices as well as the check-in hall that will house 64 check-in counters. An additional 10 counters will be specifically dedicated to business check-in.

The expansion also includes 12 new boarding lounges and the extension of the immigration transfer and security area. A new baggage screening area for arrivals will be added while the current baggage reclaim area will see three new carousels.