Abstract

Dubai World Central is being developed to support a major expansion of Dubai’s aviation capacity. Its planned scale raises questions beyond terminal construction and technology pro- curement because airlines, airport operators and government authorities must coordinate passenger processing while maintaining security, public confidence and operational continu- ity. This thesis examines how airport operating models and end-to-end passenger processing may evolve during 2035–2045 and assesses the strategic readiness implications for DWC. A qualitative, desk-based design was adopted using peer-reviewed research, official aviation publications, government documents, airport implementation evidence and selected industry reports. The analysis combined PEST horizon scanning, a technology-readiness assessment, stakeholder mapping, scenario planning and two conceptual Causal Loop Diagrams. Inter- national regulatory and institutional alignment and technology integration and scalability emerged as the two critical uncertainties. Their interaction produced four scenarios: Seam- less Global Hub, Advanced but Fragmented, Constrained Transition and Standards Without Scale. The findings show that technical capability alone cannot produce a seamless passenger journey. When systems cannot exchange or accept the same verification outcome, passengers face repeated checks and employees compensate through manual intervention. Low passenger trust or unsuccessful digital verification similarly redirects demand to staffed and exception- processing channels. The thesis concludes that DWC readiness should be assessed as a system condition rather than through the maturity of individual technologies. Interoperability, clear decision authority, reliable assisted pathways, cybersecurity and operational resilience remain valuable across all four scenarios. The recommendations therefore prioritize shared architec- ture, coordinated governance, controlled cross-organizational testing and phased airport-wide scaling. A readiness roadmap covering 2026–2045 links each phase to stakeholders, outputs, signposts and implementation risks. Future research should test the framework through stake- holder interviews, internal operational data, technical and financial evaluation and quantitative passenger-flow simulation.

Publication Date

5-2026

Document Type

Thesis

Student Type

Graduate

Degree Name

Professional Studies (MS)

Department, Program, or Center

Graduate Programs & Research

Advisor

Ozcan Saritas

Campus

RIT Dubai

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