Dubai Airports has committed to expanding community participation in the Dubai Mallathon, a government-backed fitness initiative, by hosting the programme’s second iteration at Terminal 3 Departures of Dubai International Airport (DXB). The decision reflects the airport operator’s broader mandate to integrate employee wellbeing and community engagement into its operational framework.
The initiative unfolded across two morning indoor walking sessions at Terminal 3 Departures, drawing participation from Dubai Airports staff, members of the oneDXB community, and People of Determination. The format represents a deliberate effort to embed wellness activities into the airport’s daily operations and workforce routines.
Majed Al Joker, chief operating officer at Dubai Airports, framed the participation as aligned with the organisation’s strategic objectives. “This is an initiative we can all get behind because it encourages people to be part of something that’s more than just exercise,” Al Joker said. He emphasised that the programme accommodates shift patterns and work locations, positioning it as a practical intervention rather than an add-on requirement. “DXB is the perfect location for indoor walks because airports are places of movement by nature, and this initiative gives our employees and oneDXB community another way to come together, stay active and support Dubai’s wider wellbeing ambitions,” he added.
The airport’s participation signals a shift in how Dubai Mallathon operates. Demaithan Al Qamzi, general coordinator of Dubai Mallathon, characterised the expansion into the airport environment as a meaningful extension of the initiative’s reach. “Hosting activities at Dubai International Airport is a significant addition to the initiative, extending its reach to airport employees, the wider airport community and travellers,” Al Qamzi said. He noted that the programme has evolved beyond traditional sporting formats into what he described as a community movement, now embedded within workplace settings and daily routines.
By contrast with a single launch event, the airport operator has committed to sustaining the programme through recurring sessions. Further walks will take place at designated locations across Terminal 3 every Friday throughout August, with the schedule designed to accommodate hundreds of participants from both the airport workforce and the broader oneDXB community.
The final scheduled session, on August 28, carries additional symbolic weight. Dubai Airports has designated it to coincide with Emirati Women’s Day, inviting oneDXB community members to participate while acknowledging the contributions of Emirati women across the airport organisation and the aviation sector more broadly.
Dubai Mallathon was launched by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai. The citywide fitness initiative reflects leadership priorities around positioning Dubai as a premier destination for residence and employment, with physical activity and community cohesion as supporting elements of that broader vision. Whether the programme’s expansion into major infrastructure sites like DXB sets a precedent for other government-linked operators remains an open question as August’s schedule draws to a close.