27
September
2012
|
07:20
Europe/Amsterdam

Dubai International to be Featured on National Geographic Channels International

Dubai, UAE – September 27, 2012 – National Geographic Channels International, in conjunction with award-winning production company Arrow Media, has commissioned a ten-part documentary series about the day-to-day working of Dubai International that will be broadcast to over 440 million households in 171 countries when it airs in 2013. With the working title ‘Dubai: Ultimate Airport’, the series will follow the daily operation of the world’s fourth busiest airport for international passenger traffic and will involve staff across Dubai’s aviation community including Emirates airline, dnata, Dubai Duty Free, Dubai Customs, Dubai Immigration, Dubai Police and Dubai Airports. HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President, Dubai Civil Aviation Authority; Chairman, Dubai Airports Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates airline & Group, has endorsed the project on behalf of the aviation community. “This is a tremendous opportunity for the entire Dubai aviation community,” said Sheikh Ahmed. “We have an amazing story to tell. The tremendous spirit of cooperation that occurs across the aviation enterprise in our day-to-day interactions with our customers and each other is what sets us apart. Almost half a billion people across the globe will have the opportunity to witness that teamwork.” The main focus of the ten, hour-long documentaries will be on the frontline aspects of the airport’s operations where camera crews will strive to capture the humour, tension and jeopardy that is part of the daily operation of the airport as well as the patience and professionalism displayed by staff dealing with challenging situations. Filming kicked off on September 24. “National Geographic Channel is always at the forefront of providing viewers exclusive access to extraordinary places around the globe, and this series combines great stories of cutting-edge engineering, technology and architecture, with a truly international cast of characters who deal every day with the pressures of running a very large, dynamic airport,” said Hamish Mykura, Executive Vice President and Head of International Content for National Geographic Channels International. “What makes Dubai International particularly intriguing is that it is at the crossroads linking east and west. That gives it a unique cultural diversity,” said John Smithson, Creative Director at Arrow Media. “Plus there is a lot of inherent drama and excitement behind Dubai’s tremendous aviation success story. How does DXB handle over 50 million passengers per year and 6,000 weekly flights, in a truly 24/7 operation? What are the technological and engineering challenges that will lead to Dubai having the biggest international airport in the world and how this is changing the face of aviation globally? Our global audience will soon find out.” Arrow Media has extensive experience filming access and observational documentaries in highly sensitive and pressurised environments. The team at Arrow Media was behind the making of Airbus’ A380 documentary series, the ‘Megastructures’ series and in Dubai produced documentaries on World Islands, Burj Al Arab, Palm Jumeirah and the Burj Khalifa.