Tag Archives: dubai
Sufouh Tram test run held in France
Sufouh Tram test run held in France Staff Reporter / 19 June 2013 Trials of Al Sufouh Tram to be operated in Dubai were held in France on a 700-km-long test track. Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), watched the technical test in the facilities of Alstom Company in France. During the trial run, which was done at various speeds, tests on the safety system, electric propulsion of the coaches, braking system, sudden stops during emergencies, ground power feed of the track, overhead power feed and doors operation mechanism were conducted, according to a release from the RTA. “This test run is a milestone in the implementation of Al Sufouh Tramway Project, which is being planned, designed and constructed in conformity with the directives of His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, calling for the provision of a sophisticated transit system to serve Jumeirah Beach Residence, Marina and Al Safouh neighbourhoods,” said Al Tayer. Al Sufouh Tram is considered the first of its kind outside Europe fed by ground power cables and the coaches will be shipped to Dubai from December. The RTA will commission other tests at the track site and these tests will continue till the official launch of the tram service in November 2014. The tram system is 14.6km long and runs along Al Sufouh Road, and the initial phase of the project envisages the construction of a 10.6-km-long track starting from the Dubai Marina and stretching up to the Tram Depot near the Dubai Police Academy. There will be 17 passenger stations, 11 of which with 11 trams are covered in the first phase, and 14 trams in phase II. The trams are expected to carry about 27,000 riders per day at the start of operations in 2014, and the ridership is bound to pick up to hit 66,000 per day by 2020. Each tram measures 44 metres in length and can carry 300 people with First Class (Gold Suite) and one cabin designated for ladies and children as well as a Silver Class cabin. The tram’s carriages and stations will have deluxe interior finishings, and feature state-of-the-art technologies in the transmission and display of entertainment materials. In the stations, the passenger lounge will span 44 metres and is set to be equipped with automatic fare collection systems. The practice test was also watched by Adnan Al Hammadi, CEO of Rail Agency; Abdul Rida Abu Al Hassan, Director of Rail Planning & Development Projects; Dr Khalid Hamdi, Projects Advisor of the Chairman of the Board & Executive Director; Dr Kamal Adeer, Systems Manager at the Rail Agency; Mohammed Amiri, Manager of Rail Coaches Maintenance; Ali Lootah, Senior Engineer; and a host of executives from Alstom. – news@khaleejtimes.com Continue reading
Shaikh Mohammed takes trophy at Royal Ascot
Shaikh Mohammed takes trophy at Royal Ascot (Wam) / 19 June 2013 His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai was crowned winner of the mile G1 St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot, Britain on Tuesday. Trained by Jim Bolger, Kevin Manning led Godolphin’s Dawn Approach to win the 350 thousand- dramatic race by a short-head. Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai; Shaikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and UAE minister of Finance; Princess Haya Bint Hussein, wife of Shaikh Mohammed; Queen Elizabeth of Britain, and other members of the British Royal family were also present. Continue reading
Emirates takes home 2013 ‘World’s Best Airline’ Award
Paris: Emirates Airlines was awarded the highly coveted ‘World’s Best Airline’ award, presented by Skytrax at the 2013 World Airline Awards yesterday. In addition to winning ‘World’s Best Airline’ Emirates scooped up a further two awards including; ‘Best Middle East Airline’ and for a record ninth year in a row, ‘World’s Best Inflight Entertainment’. The awards were collected on Tuesday by Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline at the Paris Airshow. The Skytrax World Airline Awards polled over 18 million business and leisure air travellers from more than 160 countries “Being honoured with these awards is testament to our unrelenting effort to be the world’s best airline,” said Clark. “We are constantly striving to offer our customers consistent, world-class service that extends from the moment they make their booking to the moment they arrive home at the end of their journey.” These awards are widely regarded as the industry’s benchmark for excellence. For us, the awards clearly reflect a vote of confidence from global travellers, who acknowledge and appreciate our continuous drive to deliver high-quality service. To be voted ‘World’s Best Airline’ by millions of discerning travellers really is something for our 60,000 strong workforce to be proud of,” added Clark. Since launching in 1985, Emirates has grown into one of the largest and most dynamic airlines in the world and has transformed Dubai into a major connecting hub for global air travel. Last year over 39 million customers flew with Emirates, connecting across the airline’s global network and enjoying the airline’s extensive onboard innovations, including the industry leading inflight entertainment system ice, offering over 1,400 channels of entertainment. Emirates has been, and continues to be, a leader in revolutionising air travel, working closely with manufacturers and suppliers to ensure all aspects of the customer experience are second to none. It is the many advances by Emirates in the area of aviation that have resulted in the airline winning more than 500 international awards. Etihad top in First Class category Etihad Airways took home the coveted title of Best First Class for the fourth consecutive year, as well as taking home top honours for Best First Class Seats and Best First Class Catering. Peter Baumgartner, Etihad Airways’ Chief Commercial Officer, said: “It is a huge accomplishment to take home the top honours in every First Class category again, underlining our leading premium product proposition. “Etihad Airways has, in just 10 years of operation, risen rapidly in the Skytrax rankings because we are continually investing in innovative new product and service concepts. We believe that world-class hospitality should not be limited to hotels and restaurants, so we are elevating the travel experience by bringing the best of hospitality to every touch point in the journey.” Continue reading
