Dubai Airport, which is one of the busiest airports in the world, has just launched a new service that’s both kind of awesome and kind of annoying.
Dubai’s New Complimentary Taxi Service
Dubai Airport has introduced taxiDXB, which is a new service that provides service throughout the terminal by golf cart:
- There will initially be 15 “taxis” available in the B Concourse of Terminal 3 (this concourse is exclusively used by Emirates), and there are plans for this service to eventually be expanded
- They’ll be available on a first come first served basis, though the elderly and families receive priority
- This service is free
- You can use the service to go to your connecting gate, or to go to shops or restaurants
DXB’s B Concourse is long and narrow, with all gates along the same “stretch.” In total, the concourse is 945m (or 3,100 feet) long, so in some cases people may have to walk nearly a kilometer to catch their connecting flight.
Why This Service Is Awesome And Annoying
Nowadays there are so many mega airports, though at times I can’t help but feel like there’s a lack of thought put into the design. Take Istanbul’s New Airport for example, which has a lack of moving sidewalks and some of the longest walking distances I’ve seen in any airport.
While there’s great convenience to having a global hub with access to six continents, at times the airports aren’t the easiest to connect at, especially for those with mobility challenges, families, and the elderly. So in those instances I think this new service is fantastic.
The problem is that in these narrow, super crowded, and heavily banked terminals, space already comes at a premium. It’s one thing if you have a super wide and spacious terminal, but that doesn’t describe Concourse B in Dubai.
Walking through the terminal during peak times is already a challenge, and having to dodge golf carts will make it all the less pleasant for those of us not using them.
Frankly I’m shocked we don’t see more injuries resulting from golf carts in airports, or maybe they just mostly go unreported?
What do you think — is a free service like this awesome, or does it just make an already crowded terminal even worse?
(Tip of the hat to View from the Wing)
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