Assistive listening manufacturer, Contacta, has supplied more than 500 of its hearing loop systems for a major project to enhance hearing accessibility at Dubai International (DXB).
The 520 systems have been installed throughout the airport's three terminals by Contacta's regional GCC partner, Topland.
Work on the project has been ongoing since 2023 and forms part of the airport’s ambition to ensure that every passenger experiences accessible and inclusive travel. It is also in line with Dubai’s Universal Design Code which aims to ensure buildings and transportation are accessible to everyone according to their need.
Interaction points including information desks, check-in counters, shops, lounges, food outlets, and money exchange counters, across terminals one, two and three had to be surveyed by Topland’s engineers and, together with the Contacta Business Development Team, recommendations and specifications were developed for each one.
Between November and December 2024, the team installed 520 Contacta counter hearing loop systems. Engineers had to work around check-in counters, customs and boarding gates, coffee shops, food counters, and retail till points during what was a very busy holiday period. The engineers were also subject to stringent security checks every time they had to go in or out of airside locations.
Although the counters varied in design, space on all of them was limited. Contacta’s IL-K200 under the counter loop system with halo microphone offered a compact solution. It also allowed for flexible positioning of the loop aerial, something that was crucial as not all of the counters were easily accessible.
The project was so successful that Topland were also asked to replace the existing hearing loop in one of the Business Class Lounges with a Contacta system.
The next stage will see Topland supplying Contacta portable hearing loops for locations at the airport where fixed loops couldn’t be installed.