Throughout 2010 Abu Dhabi International Airport has registered double-digit increase of passenger, aircraft and cargo figures; a strong indicator of the healthy growth that the Abu Dhabi economy is enjoying. The airport received for the first time ten million passengers during 11 months and ended the year with a few passengers short of 11 million to achieve 12.2 percent increase in the overall passenger traffic in 2010 compared with 2009. This growth trend is expected to continue for the whole year.
Abu Dhabi Airports Company has invested heavily in attracting new airlines and encouraging existing airlines to expand their services to Abu Dhabi through new routes and increased frequencies. In 2010 Abu Dhabi International Airport welcomed five new international airlines, added six new destinations and serviced an average of 41 additional weekly frequencies from its existing airlines – a 13 percent increase in the total weekly outbound flights compared with the previous year. In February 2011, ADAC welcomed V Australia to its network of airlines, while in June Cathay Pacific will launch operations, thus offering passengers and travellers at Abu Dhabi International Airport more services from top quality carriers.
Along with the tailored strategies in Airline Marketing and route development, Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC), the operator of the five major airports in Abu Dhabi including its primary asset, Abu Dhabi International Airport, has been investing heavily in promoting a culture of Excellence within all of its activities, whether in customer service, airport facility, or airport operations. ADAC has been working closely with its stakeholders within the airport community, and benchmarking with leading international aviation metrics of best practice, to ensure the deliverance of quality excellence in all of its offerings. During the last year ADAC has been acknowledged for its customer and quality focus with a number of awards ranging from Skytrax’s “Most improved Airport in the World” in customer satisfaction, to ACI “second best airport” in the Middle East, and lately to Skytrax’s “Staff Excellence Award for the Middle East.”
James E. Bennett, Chief Executive Officer of Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC) commented: “2010 witnessed strong traffic development at Abu Dhabi International Airport, well above the world airports average growth. Our developmental strategy, combined with Abu Dhabi’s increasing awareness as an attractive business and tourist destination, led us again to a very positive end of year outcome. By adopting quality of service in all our endeavours we are set for yet another successful year to come.”
The continuous growth of passenger traffic reflects the growing interest in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, and the growing strength of Abu Dhabi International Airport as an international hub. This growth trend is expected to continue to rise as the airport welcomes new carriers and add new destinations and frequencies from Abu Dhabi International airport.
To accommodate this dynamic growth in the Emirate and the airport, Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC) announced this year the release of the Midfield Terminal Building (MTB) tender. This mega project is a key milestone in the development of Abu Dhabi International airport to ensure the growing customer base experiences the highest level of service available, in a distinctive facility that has been designed and is being constructed in a sustainable and environmentally conscious manner.
The Midfield Terminal Building is the centerpiece of the multi-billion dollar investment programme, with a passenger terminal building, cargo facilities, duty free shops and restaurants. The terminal building will be the largest structure in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, and one of the region’s most architecturally impressive buildings. Once the MTB is delivered, the airport’s passenger capacity will grow to 27-30 million per year.
In parallel to the tender for the MTB, Abu Dhabi Airports Company has been executing since 2010 a capacity enhancement program (CEP) which will allow Abu Dhabi International Airport to handle an additional seven million passengers. Furthermore, ADAC is currently in the last stages of the Terminal 1 refurbishment, further upgrading the world-class airport services offered to its passengers.
This capability to extend capacity is planned with an eye on the future developments in the Emirate. Abu Dhabi’s star is rising – both as a centre for business and investment, and as a great new destination for tourism.
