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Dubai: A beacon for travellers, the Dubai National Air Travel Agency (Dnata) opened its first office in Deira in May 1979. Today it continues to be the first choice for people who want to make flight, hotel or holiday package bookings, or who are just looking for more information.
Dnata was initially established in 1959 with just five staff members as a ground handling company at the new international airport.
The Deira office was the first of a travel agency in the Gulf to be equipped with a multi-access computer system, which at that time was used only in London and New York.
Dnata has come a long way, having started with only 20 travel service counters in Deira, each equipped with its own computers. According to Dnata's website, it now has over 6,500 staff members.
Over the years, Dnata opened offices in other locations, such as on Shaikh Zayed Road.
"No matter how many travel agencies have opened up in Dubai, I will always go to Dnata and get my bookings done, the staff members are always patient with customers, at least that has always been my experience," said Alisha Pais, a Dubai resident for 14 years.
The Dnata building in Deira has become something of a landmark. "I hope the building will not be demolished like so many other buildings in Dubai," said Pais.
When Terminal 2 opened in 1998 at Dubai International Airport, Dnata's cargo and airport operations expanded dramatically. The airport's surface area increased to 93,000 square feet.
The expanded facilities saw Dnata's airport operations increase to service around 700 flights per week at Terminal 2, of which 320 were cargo and 380 passenger flights. The airport expansion also included new facilities for Dnata staff, including office space, a conference room and refreshment facilities, as well as training centres.
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