Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum has been honoured with the Dubai-it Award in recognition of four decades of work transforming Dubai into one of the world's leading aviation hubs.
Dubai's Crown Prince, who presented the award, said Sheikh Ahmed's journey in the sector began in 1985, when Dubai had little more than a sandy runway and two leased aircraft. He described how, from that modest starting point, Dubai grew into one of the most advanced aviation hubs on the planet. Emirates' fleet has expanded nearly 139-fold over the decades, while its network of destinations has grown 76-fold. Dubai International Airport, meanwhile, welcomed 95.2 million passengers in a single year, a world record for international passenger traffic.
The recognition comes as part of Dubai's broader push to consolidate its position as a global aviation gateway, underscoring once again how central air transport infrastructure has been to the emirate's overall economic growth.