Dubai Airports has commissioned work on a project that will expand the number of Airbus A380 contact stands at Dubai International’s (DXB) Concourse C, the company announced Sept. 26. The increase will enable the facility to accommodate Emirates Airline’s growing fleet of A380s.

The project will increase the number of Code F gates (A380 gates) at Concourse C from three to 13, bringing the total number of A380 gates at DXB to 47, more than any other airport in the world. Emirates operates 83 A380s, with a further 57 on firm order.

Concourse C became a part of the Terminal 3 complex used exclusively by Emirates and its partner Qantas, following the opening of the $ 1.2 billion Concourse D in February, increasing capacity at the airport from 75 million to 90 million passengers a year.

The upgrade project commenced in 3Q this year and is expected to be completed by the end of 2018. It is part of Dubai’s Airports’ DXB Plus program, which aims to increase DXB’s capacity to 118 million passengers per year by 2023 without building any additional major infrastructure.

DXB Plus will boost throughput and enhance service through the design and implementation of customer-centric processes and the application of smart technology, Dubai Airports said.

Concourse C will also undergo interior refurbishment as part of the upgrade project, including re-design and enhancement of gate hold rooms, increased dedicated airline lounge space, and ambiance
enhancements.

“Considering the traffic growth at DXB and the central role the airport will continue to play for the aviation sector as well as Dubai’s economy over the next 10 years, it is vital that we provide additional capacity while enhancing our customer service,” Dubai Airports SVP of development Bryan Thompson said.