Viswanathan K's Thoughts

By the turn of the century, urban development was the driving force for Dubai, writes Tomas Pueyo.. The Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, is the most famous landmark. The world’s 2 nd largest mall, the Dubai Mall (with an aquarium and underwater zoo), came up. Land was reclaimed to create the famous Palm Jumeirah.   Dubai understood the synergies between different modes of transportation, so: “It didn’t only invest in its port and coast. It continued investing in its airport and airline.” Today, Dubai is the world’s 2 nd busiest international airport, and Emirates airlines is a synonym for opulence and coverage.   Those old selling points from when it became an SEZ – safety, low taxes, tolerance – continue and remain key attractions even today. Dubai is (was?) as safe as Tokyo and Singapore, and definitely a whole lot safer than any Western city.   Criticism of the rulers or religion is not allowed. Media is controlled by the state. Public protests are not a...

American airports suck (to be fair, they’re not international hubs). European airports are overcrowded, chaotic and unintuitive. Bangalore’s T2 terminal is beautiful and scenic, though it doesn’t have many shops or eating places (yet). Hong Kong airport is spacious, sparkling, and has lots of shops.   And then there’s Singapore’s Changi airport. It is the only airport one would like to be “stuck” due to a delayed flight or a long layover! That’s partly because parts of the airport are a mall cum fun area open for all, not just people catching a flight. Locals come for family visits, the way you might go to a mall or a movie!   It even has a (paid) swimming pool and gym. The food options are numerous, though the more popular ones can be very crowded (it’s like a mall for the locals, remember?). Like a few European airports, it offers a city tour between flights for an overview of Singapore, though you’d need to apply for a visa if you are just passing through.   ...