Dubai World Central-Al Maktoum International airport officially began operations on June 27 after the new airport passed a series of operational tests conducted during its first ‘live’ flight. An Emirates SkyCargo B777 freighter operating Hong Kong-Dubai touched down in the afternoon amid cheers from an enthusiastic stakeholders and dignitaries on hand to observe the historic occasion. “This is an important milestone, not only for the airport’s certification process, but as another step towards achieving Dubai’s vision to become the pre-eminent centre for aviation worldwide,” said HH Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, president of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and chairman of Dubai Airports. Phase 1 of the airport will feature one A380-capable runway, 64 remote stands, one cargo terminal with annual capacity for 250,000 tonnes of cargo and a passenger terminal building designed to accommodate five million passengers per year. The facility will initially open for cargo carriers, with passenger operations slated to start next March.