Emirates' tranquil haven for travellers on the move

The unique facility is designed to speed departing travellers smoothly onto flights with minimum formality and fuss. Purpose-built between Departures and Arrivals, it is the only separate airport terminal in the world catering to premium flyers.

As well as six First and 10 Business Class check-ins, the superbly-equipped, spacious 1600 square metre facility offers eight express check-in counters for flyers with hand luggage only, an innovation particularly attractive to those on day trips.

Emphasis is on keeping formalities to the minimum so departing passengers have time to browse the duty free shops, or relax in the Emirates First or Business Class lounge and enjoy the superb catering. To make the process as effortless as possible, the terminal has separate access to fast-track immigration and security channels.

Facilities include internet kiosks and a facility for members of Skywards, the successful Emirates and Sri Lankan frequent flyer scheme, to view their e-mail account and send travel details to friends and family waiting for them on arrival -- invaluable when plans change unexpectedly.

The new terminal is expected to handle some 400,000 first and business class customers a year. Access is restricted to passengers flying Emirates First or Business Class, SriLankan Business Class, and Skywards Gold and Silver members -- regardless of which class they fly in.

The interior of the tranquil oasis features attractively-patterned stone floors, natural wood, stainless steel counters, subtle lighting, flowers and pot plants, and soft red leather seats and sofas where family members can relax in comfort while formalities are completed.

Glass roof panels let in gentle natural light and offer a nostalgic view of the original airport control tower. The atmosphere is soothing, cool and restful, with columns in shades of burgundy, slatted natural wood blinds and bouquets on glass tables.

His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Chairman of the Emirates Group, formally opened the terminal today. VIPs from the airline and Department of Civil Aviation gathered to see him cut the ribbon and meet its hand-picked staff.

Sheikh Ahmed said: "This unique facility, the only one in the world to offer such a service to First and Business Class travellers, underlines our determination to provide the highest possible standards to passengers on the ground and in the air."

Specially trained staff will greet flyers outside the terminal, escort them from their limousine and pass them to a check-in agent whilst a porter takes care of their bags.

They will then pass through exclusive immigration and security channels to the departure gate with time in hand for duty-free shopping or relaxing over a delicious meal in the soothing atmosphere of Emirates' First or Business class lounge.

The new check-in terminal is just one of a number of enhancements which customers can look forward to in months to come. The present Business Class lounge is being expanded, and Emirates is preparing designs for its own dedicated passenger concourse beside the current terminal, with 28 departure gates handling 20 million people a year. Construction starts next year.

Ultra-modern long-range Airbus A340-500 aircraft entering service from next June will allow Emirates to start services to New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. Many more services are also being introduced on existing routes this year, notably to London, Paris, Frankfurt, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta.

From 2006, the first of its fleet of 22 new 575-seat Airbus A380 double-deck airliners (two of them freighters) will enter service, further boosting business.

To keep pace with expansion, Emirates expects to double its workforce to more than 35,000 by 2010 as its fleet of 39 Airbuses and Boeings, already one of the world's youngest with an average age of only 37 months, grows to 100 by 2010.

Hundreds of new cabin crew from all over the world are among new staff joining the airline as it continues its meteoric expansion. This year alone it is adding five new destinations, and five more next year.