Dubai: His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, carried out an inspection visit to Dubai International Airport Terminal 3 on Sunday.

Accompanied by Shaikh Maktoum Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Shaikh Mohammad inquired about services and facilities provided by relevant bodies to passengers at the airport.

Shaikh Mohammad first visited the Terminal 3 departures hall, where he inspected Emirates Airlines counters responsible for weighing baggage, and was briefed on mechanisms for sending baggage information to the necessary parties. He inspected the passport control and ticket counters for departing passengers.

Shaikh Mohammad then visited counters of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA), inquiring about the time it takes to complete the applications of passengers by providing with the necessary stamps so they can save time and proceed to the departures gates without any delay. Shaikh Mohammad spoke with the employees and instructed them to interact and deal with passengers in a positive and pleasant manner.

Shaikh Mohammad then took the airport that leads to Concourse A, which is used by passengers to board the Airbus A380. He spoke with passengers and inquired about their satisfaction with the level of services.

The Vice President then rode the train back to Terminal 3, touring the hall for arriving passengers and inspecting the mechanisms for transporting passenger bags from the aircraft’s location via the baggage carousel after they have been closely inspected by Dubai Customs officers.

Shaikh Mohammad expressed his satisfaction with the current levels of coordination between Emirates Airlines and GDRFA regarding the new link that they will be establishing together, which will allow passengers to complete all required procedures at the Emirates Airlines counter without having to stamp their passport at the GDRFA counters. It is expected for the system to be implemented in early 2015.

Major General Obaid Bin Muhair, Acting Director of GDRFA, briefed Shaikh Mohammad on the passenger movement during Eid holidays, which he said that to this current day, amounted to one million passengers. Shaikh Mohammad ordered the employees to adopt a positive attitude and good conduct when dealing with passengers, which reflects the Emiratis’ values of good hospitality, which will consolidate the UAE’s reputation and high standing among regional and international circles.

He stressed that he is very keen on the good behaviour and conduct of all government employees, and that he is very confident that they can be a mirror that reflects our Arab and Islamic values and prestigious UAE civilisation, consolidating its status so it can never be tainted and act as an open door to other civilisations. Shaikh Mohammad added that airport employees must provide the necessary all those who require it, particularly children, patients and the elderly.

Later, Shaikh Mohammad inspected Concourse D, which is currently under construction at Dubai International Airport as part of the airport’s expansion plans. The new concourse is expected to begin its operations in the fourth quarter of 2015.

The Vice President toured the building, and was briefed by Engineer Khalifa Al Zafein, Executive Chairman of Dubai Aviation City, on the services that will be provided by the concourse, which will be able to receive 18 million passengers and 17 aircrafts of any type, such as Boeing 777 and Airbus A380.

Concourse D will be linked to Terminal 1 via an elevated rail link. The concourse project’s cost is estimated to be Dh4 billion.

Shaikh Mohammad expressed his satisfaction with the project, which he described as an extension to the expansion plans for Dubai International Airport, which aim to preserve the airport as the passengers’ favoured destination. He ordered completing the project within the set deadline, and ensuring that its in line with all safety and security standards to provide passengers with a pleasant experience.