Dubai Airports May Spend ‘Billions’ on Further Expansion Work

* username: rupertbu

Dubai Airports, the government-owned airfield operator, plans to seek approval for expansion plans costing “billions of dirham” undeterred by the emirate’s need for a $20 billion bailout last year.

The company will make a recommendation on boosting capacity within the next few months, Chief Executive Officer Paul Griffiths said today in an interview in Singapore. He declined to elaborate further on the costs.

Dubai plans to press ahead with expanding its current airport and building a new one, even after having to get help from neighbor Abu Dhabi to pay off debts used to finance real- estate projects. Aviation generates as much as 25 percent of the emirate’s economy, according to Griffiths, as Dubai has invested in facilities and Emirates Airline to make up for a lack of oil reserves.