15,000 volunteers register for T3 trials

Over 15,000 people from a cross-section of the community have registered online to be among the first to experience the world's most modern airport terminal and help the facility prepare for opening later this year.

Set to start in July, the trials are designed to simulate typical airport operating scenarios.

Volunteers, acting as passengers will be given scripts describing their individual roles on the trial day and will test services, systems and processes to help airport management discover any shortcomings for corrective action.

Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports, said:

"We are delighted by the response from the public. These trials will prepare us as much as possible to ensure that we meet the needs of our customers when our new Terminal opens.

With the volunteers' help, the transition of the near-complete terminal building into a fully-operational facility will be more effective. We would like to thank everyone for their support in signing up to take part."

T3 and other expansion projects at Dubai International are expected to increase the airport's capacity to 60 million passengers annually, thereby easing the flow at the existing facilities. This year's summer rush is the airport's busiest since the opening of Sheikh Rashid Terminal in 2000.

Dubai Airports has recently taken a series of measures to help travellers make their way through the terminal as quickly and easily as possible, particularly during the current weeks of peak summer travel.

These measures include: express check-in counters for travellers with hand luggage only, volunteer staff spread across the terminal, additional signage, instruction videos, improved screening machines, more check-in counters (including self check-in counters), more immigration counters, and e-gate registration facilities in both arrivals and departures.

Dubai Airports also introduced the "Travel Tips for Smart Travellers" earlier this month which aim to help customers help themselves and their fellow travellers to proceed speedily through the airport.

Smart Tips for Smart Travellers

• Say goodbye to loved ones at home to save time and avoid congestion at the airport.

• Use online check-in facilities or the self-service check-in kiosks in the departures hall to avoid queuing. Customers carrying only hand luggage can then proceed directly to Immigration. Customers with baggage to be checked in can make use of the quick-baggage drop counters.

• Buy an e-Gate card and avoid queuing at passport control both while arriving and on departure.

• Ensure that each piece of baggage is within the 32kgs allowance to avoid delays. You should expect to be charged for baggage in excess of the regulatory limit.

• Make sure you are carrying any liquids, aerosols and gels in a clear re-sealable plastic bag. Each item should not be more than 100ml and the total content of all items should not be more than one litre. Unless absolutely necessary during the journey, it is simpler to pack them in your checked-in baggage.

• Remember to put anything metal - watch, jewellery, mobile phone, coins - into your hand luggage well before you arrive at the X-ray machines, and save time at Security Screening.

• Don't forget to leave a minimum of three hours for check-in and passport control.