Dubai Airport

Agree with many previous comments. Before T3 was opened Emirates were promising that it would solve all the problems of overcrowding at T1. However this has not proved correct. T3 has been poorly planned particularly as far as facilities are concerned. Nowhere near enough toilets or seats provided and the "open plan" Business lounge is awful and impersonal. If I had a long lay over I would be sorely tempted to head back over to T1. It's also worth noting that EK flights are still regularly landing miles away from the terminal and passengers are still having to be bussed which is a real pain. Whoever was responsible for this hugely disappointing building should not be given similar responsibility again!

We arrived from FRA then connecting flight to KUL with Emirates (economy). In our opinion Terminal 3 is a mistake. I will be repeating myself with other reviewers. T3 is awfully overcrowded. Basic needs like sufficient number of clean toilets or seating places are not satisfied at all. You have to queue everywhere. We will avoid travelling with Emirates via Dubai at any price. I would recommend the same.

Transiting from the UK back to Australia with Emirates we taxied to a remote stand and were bussed into the terminal. Then escalators up two floors down one floor and then up 3 floors seemed crazy to get into a very busy and packed shopping mall. Dubai Duty Free is no more value than any other duty free. Toilets were small tight overcrowded and disgracefully dirty. Adding to that a lack of seating anywhere near a non-open gate (perhaps 100 seats for an A380 departure). Air conditioning set on freezing did not help either. Not impressed.

Terminal 3 is a new structure. The inbound passport control area is very big. I arrived from Istanbul at 12:40 am. There were 14 people in front of me at the waiting line at the inbound passport control. It took 50minutes to go through the passport. The passport police is extremely slow. On my way back from Cape Town I had to spend 7 hours for my connecting flight to Istanbul. I had to use the toilets 2 times. The toilets are very small there is always a queue. The mens toilets are also very badly used by passengers floors are flooded by people who do know how to use the toilet sprays. I prefer not to use this airport again.

Terminal 1. On arrival there was a long long walk to passport control and customs both of which were efficient. On departure check-in was efficient with no lines as was passport control and security. DCA lounge was bland with limited food and drink selections but was quiet. Duty-free was disappointing with limited selections.

I am also dissatisfied with the new T3 terminal. My main problem was the low temperatures of air-conditioning. It was in August and you had to wear a lot of clothes to hold it. I noticed that most passengers had the same problem and specially if you are on a transit flight and you are unprepared this can be a nightmare. Restaurant services in the airport are minimum and the toilets limited.

Terminal 3 too many gates and shops in the same place while other areas are so empty that seem completely devoid of life. I had a 14 hour transit and be sure that I spent almost all of them at the old Terminal 1.