World's 'biggest' airport opens to passengers

A new airport in Dubai is set to become the 'biggest' in the world after it opened to passengers on Sunday.

Dubai's Al Maktoum International Airport is not yet complete but when it is finished, it will have five runways and welcome up to 160 million passengers a year.

The first airline to touch down at the airport over the weekend was a Wizz Air service from Budapest.

Just six airlines have signed up to use the airport so far - Condor, Gulf Air, Jazeera Airways, Qatar Airways, Wizz Air and Wizz Air Ukraine.

Speaking to 7 Days, Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths said: "It is a historic day because we are inaugurating not just an airport, but a whole new focus and vision about what Dubai's aviation strategy means for the world.

"Dubai is so focused on making its mark on the future of air travel. That is significant when you contrast what is happening in other parts of the world where aviation does not take its rightful place as a stimulus for the economy."

According to The National, Dubai International Airport is the second busiest airport in the world but Al Maktoum is set to become Dubai's primary airport as its sister facility reaches annual capacity, exceeding 100 million passengers by 2018.

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