Dubai's Original Airport

Airport facilities were minimal. A compacted sand runway, a small terminal building and a service building formed Dubai's Airport in the 1960s.

Photo provided by Ahmed Bin Lahej from Dubai.

Photo provided by Ahmed Bin Lahej from Dubai.

Facilities were minimal with hard packed sand forming the runway and apron.

Dubai Airport opened in 1960. Sheikh Rashid decided to build the Airport after the British Government funded an Airport at nearby Sharjah. He believed an Airport was crucial to Dubai's future.

Al Ghusais was chosen as the location for the new Airport because it was close the Dubai City and easy to get to. Jebel Ali was the preferred site but was further from Dubai than Sharjah. Sheikh Rashid thought people would still prefer to use Sharjah Airport.
Copyright © 2002-2006Harry Marshall

Al Ghusais had been used as a landing strip by Frank Blumford, the Founder ofGulf Aviation. Frank often flew Gold Bullion into Dubai, landing on the sand at Al Ghusais. He advised Sheikh Rashid Al Ghusais was suitable for an Airport. Dubai's first runway was made from compacted sand. An MEA Heron was the first flight to land on the runway. MEA declared the runway safe after a series of test landings.
Copyright © 2002-2006Harry Marshall

When four engined Vickers Viscounts came into service they caused damage to the runway frequently blowing the holes in the runway's compacted sand. Sheikh Rashid ordered the runaway be rebuilt using concrete.
Copyright © 2002-2006Harry Marshall

International Travellers usually flew into Bahrain and then to Dubai byGulf Aviation. Regional services were provided by Kuwait Air and MEA.
Copyright © 2002-2006Harry Marshall

Photo provided by Ahmed Bin Lahej from Dubai.

Photo provided by Ahmed Bin Lahej from Dubai.

A new Terminal Building and a hard surfaced runway had been built by the mid 1970s

Sheikh Rashid wanted Dubai Airport to be capable of handling the big international jet airliners. He ordered a new Dubai International Air Terminal to be built. The new Airport opened in 1971.

Dubai International Airport has the distinction of having the First Flyover in Dubai.

In 1975 British Airways VC10s flew twice a week from London to Dubai via Beirut or Bahrain. Daily Flights were not introduced until much later.

MEA provided Dubai with international connections via Beirut.

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Photo Copyright Robert Azzi/Saudi Aramco World/PADIA

Note that passengers still used spiral walkways to walk across the tarmac moving to and from the Aircraft. Passengers visiting Dubai for the first time often complained about the heat from the Aircraft's engines as they left the Aircraft. They needed only a few steps across the tarmac to realise the heat was generated by Dubai's summer climate, not the Aircraft's engines!

Passengers had to leave the comfort of the airconditioned Terminal for sun drenched walkways to board their aircraft.

There was no protection from the sun until passengers were inside their plane. Even then the airconditioning was not turned on until the plane started its engines. Leaving Dubai on a Jetplane in the 1970s could be a hot and uncomfortable experience!