Dubai International Airport’s long-awaited Concourse B West extension welcomed its first commercial tenant on 29 May 2026 with the debut of STORY Kitchen & Bar, a contemporary brasserie concept developed by Lagardère Travel Retail UAE. The 230-seat outlet—positioned between Gates B35 and B37—anchors the concourse’s F&B mix and signals that DXB’s phased capacity upgrade remains on schedule. For the 242,000 passengers who transit DXB daily, the opening adds much-needed seating and diversified cuisine. STORY’s all-day menu blends Mediterranean, Asian and Middle-Eastern dishes, while a “no-phone dining” gimmick that rewards unplugged customers with free dessert aims to boost dwell time and ancillary revenue. From a corporate-mobility perspective, the expansion eases pressure on lounge access during peak departure banks (23:00-02:00). Travel managers booking tight connections through Terminal 3 should see shorter security queues as the new concourse distributes passenger flow. Airlines operating out of B West—led by Emirates’ codeshare partners—will gradually relocate over the next six weeks, after operational trials conclude. Lagardère confirmed that 60 per cent of staff are UAE nationals hired under the Nafis Emiratisation programme, aligning with federal targets and ensuring Arabic-language service coverage. The company plans to open a duty-free confectionery pop-up powered by local chocolatier Mirzam adjacent to STORY before Eid Al Adha. Travellers with dietary restrictions should note that STORY offers Halal certification, gluten-free options and grab-and-go packaging that complies with the new cabin-luggage liquid-seal rule introduced by Dubai Airports in March. Frequent flyers can earn points via Emirates Skywards on presentation of a boarding pass.
Source: Avion Tourism Magazine
