‍Madrid, Spain — 21 April 2025 — Dubai Airports has been presented with the Operational Excellence Award by AirportLabs during Passenger Terminal Expo 2025, celebrating a decade of groundbreaking collaboration. The award recognises Dubai Airports' outstanding achievements in advancing operational performance, demonstrating innovation leadership, successfully deploying next-generation technologies, and setting new global benchmarks for modern airport excellence across both Dubai International (DXB) and Dubai World Central – Al Maktoum International (DWC).

Through early adoption, pioneering collaboration, and the scalable deployment of next-generation solutions developed by AirportLabs, Dubai Airports has played a defining role in shaping the future of resilient, efficient, and customer-centric airport operations.

Presented as part of AirportLabs' 10th anniversary celebrations, the award highlights the enduring partnership that has fueled continuous improvement and real-world innovation at the world’s busiest international hub.

Driving Operational Excellence: A Proven Innovation Journey

Dubai Airports, in collaboration with AirportLabs catalysed some of the aviation industry’s most impactful digital innovations — designed, tested, and proven at the world’s busiest international airport, Dubai International (DXB) and Dubai World Central – Al Maktoum International (DWC), Dubai's vision for the future of aviation.

The first major milestones were the adoption of the Airport Community App (ACA) and the deployment of VisionAir FIDS — two pioneering cloud-based solutions that laid the foundation for Dubai Airports' digital future, in 2016:

• Airport Community App (ACA): A collaborative platform connecting airlines, ground handlers, government authorities, and airport staff, enabling real-time decision-making, operational transparency, and coordinated responses across the airport ecosystem.
• VisionAir FIDS (Flight Information Display System): The aviation industry’s first cloud-native FIDS platforms, controlling and distributing real-time flight information to passengers across Dubai’s airports, and 4000+ live screens, enhancing operational fluidity and the travel experience.

This strategic move represented Dubai Airports' forward-thinking decision to transition critical operational systems from traditional on-premise infrastructure to the cloud — a major innovation step for the global aviation industry at that time.

Building on this success, Dubai Airports and AirportLabs co-created a new generation of solutions specifically designed to address the unique challenges of managing large-scale, high-velocity airport operations at DXB and DWC:

• SkyCore AODB: Developed from the ground up based on operational complexities, SkyCore AODB became the real-time, cloud-native platform that now serves as the single source of truth for flight schedules, resource allocation, and operational planning across Dubai’s airport network.
• Real-Time: Designed to meet the high standards of situational awareness required at DXB, Real-Time is now the core decision-support and real-time coordination platform for Dubai Airports’ Airport Operations Control Centre (AOCC) and its service partners, enabling data-driven decision-making and exceptional service even under the most demanding conditions.
• Pocket Flights: Created to enhance passenger communication and operational transparency, Pocket Flights seamlessly integrates real-time updates from AODB, FIDS, and other operational systems, delivering synchronised, conflict-free flight information directly to mobile users, supporting both the airport community and passengers.
• Allegra RMS: dynamically allocates gates, stands, baggage belts, and check-in counters, providing a flexible, real-time resource management solution that enhances operational efficiency at DWC.

These solutions exemplify Dubai Airports’ strategic commitment to innovation and operational agility, enabling the organisation to maintain world-class service levels even at record-breaking traffic volumes.

Commitment to Operational Excellence

Dubai Airports’ commitment to driving consistent improvements in operational performance through the adoption of best practices and next-generation technology has been key to achieving this recognition.

The successful deployment of systems like Airport Community App, VisionAir FIDS, SkyCore AODB, Real-Time, Pocket Flights and Allegra RMS — all designed and proven in the demanding environments of DXB and DWC — underscores Dubai Airports' reputation as a leader in digital transformation, future-ready infrastructure, and operational resilience.

About the Operational Excellence Awards

The Operational Excellence Awards celebrate a decade of transformative partnerships that have driven real-world impact across the aviation industry. Honouring sustained innovation, collaboration, and leadership, the awards recognise the airports and organizations shaping the future of airport operations through lasting commitment to excellence.

About Dubai Airports

• Dubai Airports operates both of Dubai’s airports, Dubai International (DXB) and Al Maktoum International (DWC).
• As an integrator, Dubai Airports works to balance the interests of all stakeholders to maintain aviation growth, protect operational resilience and ensure that service providers collaborate to provide a safe and secure service and improve customer experience whilst maintaining a sustainable business.
• In 2024, DXB welcomed a total of 92.3 million guests, the highest annual traffic in its history.
• DXB is ranked as the world’s number one airport by international passenger numbers for 2024, as announced by the Airports Council International (ACI).
• DWC embodies Dubai's vision for the future of aviation. With expansion plans announced in May 2024, involving a record investment of US$35b, DWC aims to reshape the aviation landscape.
• Over the next decade, DWC will accommodate 150m passengers annually, eventually expanding to 260m passengers and 12m tonnes of cargo.
• With five runways, futuristic design and seamless intermodal connectivity, DWC aims to revolutionise global air travel, setting new standards for efficiency and passenger experience for the next 50 years.

About AirportLabs

AirportLabs, a global leader in aviation technology, delivers the industry's most advanced and fully integrated Aviation SaaS ecosystem. With a decade of proven impact and deployments across 60+ airports — including some of the world's busiest international hubs — AirportLabs' cloud-native platforms redefine how airports operate, collaborate, and innovate. By seamlessly connecting critical operations, transforming complex data ecosystems, and enhancing real-time collaboration, AirportLabs empowers airports, airlines, and ground handlers worldwide to achieve unparalleled efficiency, resilience, and passenger experience.