Dubai: The heads of Dubai airport and the emirate's flagship airline say they are pushing ahead with ambitious growth plans even as much of the world's economy crumbles.

The rapidly expanding emirate to open the first phase of a new US$5 billion terminal on Tuesday. The Dubai carrier Emirates will move all its local operations to the facility by year's end.

Dubai Airport CEO Paul Griffiths shrugged off concerns that the financial crisis could scuttle further work on the project.

He said that "this is not the time to blink" and that the global crisis won't stop even larger airport being built on the other side of the city-state.

Emirates CEO Tim Clark says the crisis isn't affecting the carrier's business plans either.