Work has started on the Dh1.2 billion ($326.75 million) terminal expansion at Sharjah International Airport as the emirate seeks to boost its aviation infrastructure.
Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, laid the foundation stone for the project on Wednesday, state-owned news agency Wam reported.
Spread across 190,000 square metres, the project is the largest phase of expansion work being undertaken at a total cost of Dh2.4 billion, and is expected to be completed in 2027.
The terminal's extension will increase the airport's capacity to 20 million passengers annually, Wam reported.
It will also separate the arrivals areas from departures and enhance the airport's systems and amenities, authorities said.
Improvements will also include additional self-check-in kiosks and electronic boarding gates as well as bigger waiting areas dining facilities, and a transit passenger hotel.
Sharjah has been experiencing strong economic growth and is seeking to boost sectors such as tourism and hospitality.
The emirate’s airport handled more than seven million passengers in the first half of last year, up 24.4 per cent on an annual basis, amid growth in airline customer numbers and a surge in travel demand.
Aircraft movements at the airport also increased, with the number of flights exceeding 46,900, a rise of 14 per cent over the same period in 2022, the Sharjah Airport Authority said in July.
Sharjah Airport is the home of low-cost carrier Air Arabia, which posted a record third-quarter profit in November, reflecting strong travel demand as passenger traffic rose.
Net profit for the three months to the end of September jumped to Dh522 million, up 26 per cent annually as the number of passengers carried during the period rose 21 per cent to 4.7 million.
In July, to meet the boom in travel demand and improve the hub's operational capacity, the Sharjah Airport Authority announced the addition of six new passenger destinations and three air cargo routes.
The new passenger destinations are Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, Ufa and Samara in Russia, Lar in Iran, Indore in India and Thailand's capital, Bangkok. While the new air cargo destinations are Houston, the Rwandan capital Kigali and Nashik in India.
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Banned items
Dubai Police has also issued a list of banned items at the ground on Sunday. These include:
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Political flags or banners
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Bikes, skateboards or scooters
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Labour dispute
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What is Folia?
Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal's new plant-based menu will launch at Four Seasons hotels in Dubai this November. A desire to cater to people looking for clean, healthy meals beyond green salad is what inspired Prince Khaled and American celebrity chef Matthew Kenney to create Folia. The word means "from the leaves" in Latin, and the exclusive menu offers fine plant-based cuisine across Four Seasons properties in Los Angeles, Bahrain and, soon, Dubai.
Kenney specialises in vegan cuisine and is the founder of Plant Food Wine and 20 other restaurants worldwide. "I’ve always appreciated Matthew’s work," says the Saudi royal. "He has a singular culinary talent and his approach to plant-based dining is prescient and unrivalled. I was a fan of his long before we established our professional relationship."
Folia first launched at The Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills in July 2018. It is available at the poolside Cabana Restaurant and for in-room dining across the property, as well as in its private event space. The food is vibrant and colourful, full of fresh dishes such as the hearts of palm ceviche with California fruit, vegetables and edible flowers; green hearb tacos filled with roasted squash and king oyster barbacoa; and a savoury coconut cream pie with macadamia crust.
In March 2019, the Folia menu reached Gulf shores, as it was introduced at the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay, where it is served at the Bay View Lounge. Next, on Tuesday, November 1 – also known as World Vegan Day – it will come to the UAE, to the Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach and the Four Seasons DIFC, both properties Prince Khaled has spent "considerable time at and love".
There are also plans to take Folia to several more locations throughout the Middle East and Europe.
While health-conscious diners will be attracted to the concept, Prince Khaled is careful to stress Folia is "not meant for a specific subset of customers. It is meant for everyone who wants a culinary experience without the negative impact that eating out so often comes with."
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Robbie Keane (Atletico de Kolkata) The Irish striker is, along with his former Spurs teammate Dimitar Berbatov, the headline figure in this season’s ISL, having joined defending champions ATK. His grand entrance after arrival from Major League Soccer in the US will be delayed by three games, though, due to a knee injury.
Dimitar Berbatov (Kerala Blasters) Word has it that Rene Meulensteen, the Kerala manager, plans to deploy his Bulgarian star in central midfield. The idea of Berbatov as an all-action, box-to-box midfielder, might jar with Spurs and Manchester United supporters, who more likely recall an always-languid, often-lazy striker.
Wes Brown (Kerala Blasters) Revived his playing career last season to help out at Blackburn Rovers, where he was also a coach. Since then, the 23-cap England centre back, who is now 38, has been reunited with the former Manchester United assistant coach Meulensteen, after signing for Kerala.
Andre Bikey (Jamshedpur) The Cameroonian defender is onto the 17th club of a career has taken him to Spain, Portugal, Russia, the UK, Greece, and now India. He is still only 32, so there is plenty of time to add to that tally, too. Scored goals against Liverpool and Chelsea during his time with Reading in England.
Emiliano Alfaro (Pune City) The Uruguayan striker has played for Liverpool – the Montevideo one, rather than the better-known side in England – and Lazio in Italy. He was prolific for a season at Al Wasl in the Arabian Gulf League in 2012/13. He returned for one season with Fujairah, whom he left to join Pune.
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Volvo ES90 Specs
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