Business | Aviation
Abu Dhabi airport puts new facility on priority list
New chief executive also acknowledges need for short-term upgrades
- By Kevin Scott, Staff Reporter
- Published: 00:00 October 20, 2010
- Image Credit: Supplied
- James E. Bennett, Chief Executive, Adac.
Abu Dhabi: The new chief executive of Abu Dhabi Airports Company (Adac) said Tuesday in his first public appearance in his new role that his key priority is to ensure the delivery of a proposed new Midfield Terminal Complex (MTC) at the capital's international airport.
James Bennett, who retired as president and CEO of Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) earlier this year, also said short-term improvements had to be made at the airport in order to support the rapid growth of Etihad Airways and other airlines flying into the capital.
Bennett, who was addressing the inaugural Airport Evolution: Middle East Conference in Abu Dhabi, said: "It has been a fun transition from the political centre of the US to the political centre of the UAE. Abu Dhabi is a dynamic community that is growing rapidly so it has been a very busy settling-in period. This is a position where there is no opportunity to settle in; you have to hit the ground running.
"I have come from a large capital development programme in the United States and there are certainly similarities between that job and my new post at Adac. The issues that I have experience in dealing with are the same here in Abu Dhabi. ADAC is a large capital development programme that works with a large hub carrier in Etihad Airways," he said.
"The key projects in front of us include the finalisation of the tendering process for the new Midfield Terminal Complex. At the same time, we will be moving ahead to increase capacity in the interim period; we will be making improvements that will provide a bridge from today to the completion of the MTC."
Passenger capacity
Abu Dhabi International Airport initially had a passenger capacity of around 3.5 million people when it opened in 1982. But the airport has handled almost 13 million passengers so far this year; a growth rate of almost 11 per cent compared to last year.
Chris Youlten, Vice-President of Airport and Network Operations at Etihad Airways, said: "The purpose of Etihad is to help create a sustainable economy for Abu Dhabi now and in the future. We are working closely with Adac to ensure that changes to Abu Dhabi International Airport do not compromise the service that Etihad offers its customers.
"We are facing a significant challenge, however, as Etihad is the fastest growing airline in aviation history. Abu Dhabi International Airport was never designed to deal with this level of growth, which has exceeded all expectations. The MTC will have sufficient capacity to sustain our growth when it is completed," he said.
"In the short term we have a Capacity Enhancement Programme over the next five years that will tackle several pressure points — such as inadequate baggage facilities and an increase in aircraft parking stands — until the MTC opens."
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