Abu Dhabi International Airport is all set to open a brand new airport terminal for travellers from November 1, 2023. Airlines will be shifting their operational services in different phases to start the flights for the public by next month.

The airlines will shift to the building of the new terminal in three different phases throughout a long two weeks starting from November 1 to November 14, after Etihad Airways from Abu Dhabi will fly one ceremonial flight on 31st October.  The report came to light from Abu Dhabi Airports, the state-owned operator.

Starting from November 9 onwards, Etihad Airways will fly a number of 16 aircraft on a daily basis before finishing a complete shift to the new terminal building. There will be 10 other airlines including Air Arabia Abu Dhabi to accompany Etihad Airways.

Wizz Air Abu Dhabi along with 15 other International Airlines will operate their flights from the new terminal of Abu Dhabi International Airport on November 1, 2023. From November 14 onwards there will be a total number of 28 airlines fully operational at terminal A.

Elena Sorlini, the managing director and interim chief executive of Abu Dhabi International Airports said, “We will see a rapid increase in the number of flights operating from Terminal A as of November 1st to the 14th, and I’m excited by the new opportunities and experiences which the iconic facility will bring to both airlines and passengers,”

She further added, “Terminal A will drive the growth of the aviation sector in Abu Dhabi and play an instrumental role in welcoming more businesses and tourists to the emirate for decades to come.”

Trial operations are likely to be completed by October 17, to make the opening process of the new terminal smooth in November. Over 11,000 volunteers have been involved in completing the trial process.

With the new terminal, Abu Dhabi will glow as a business and tourism hub on the global stage. The new terminal will bolster the capacity of the current Abu Dhabi Airports and will be able to serve up to 45 million travellers every year.

At triple the size of the old airport terminal, it will operate aircraft to fly to 117 global destinations. The terminal will increase the reach and frequency of flights from and to Abu Dhabi, said the authority of Abu Dhabi International Airport on 16 October, Monday.

Spread over 742,000 square meters, terminal A is one of the largest airport terminals in the world and will remarkably increase the passenger count and cargo capacity of Abu Dhabi International Airport.

This is a notable step in terms of diversifying the non-oil sectors in Abu Dhabi. It is a wider plan to cut down the economic dependency on oil, by keeping an eye on the development of strategic industries such as tourism, travel, logistics, and cargo. Opening of the new airport terminal at Abu Dhabi International Airport will bring a huge attraction in the air travel industry, as the global aviation sector is finally recovering from the horrible effects of the global pandemic of Covid-19.

After the pandemic in August 2023, traffic of global passengers has increased by 95.7 percent of the pre-covid level. The report has been shared through monthly counting by IATA, the International Air Transport Association.

Airport Biometrics, Dining, and Shopping

The new terminal will bring nine major biometric touchpoints, alongside a self-service baggage-dropping system, immigration, e-gates, and boarding gates.

“Terminal A will prioritize the passenger experience, facilitating a streamlined service from curb-to-gate,” the airport authority said.

Once fully functional, the new terminal will bring a unique facial recognition technology for screening the passengers. It will cut down the waiting town for the travellers eventually. The advanced system to handle the baggage, and will be able to process over 19,200 bags in just one hour.

Abu Dhabi Airport said, “Terminal A is poised to deliver a seamless passenger journey to travellers like never before.”

The fully operational terminal will also include a shopping area spread over 35,000 square meters, including a number of 163 outlets of food and beverages, and retail stores. This will give a satisfying dining and shopping experience to the travellers accessing the Abu Dhabi International Airport.

Terminal A will be a destination where passengers will find some world-class brands such as Ferragamo, Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, and many more. Additionally, it will be a home to introduce the world’s first Muji airport store. The terminal will also feature a hotel with a number of 138 rooms, an open-air lounge, and two health & beauty spas.

In terms of running a completely eco-friendly operation, the new terminal will minimize the usage of water by 45 percent. Currently, 7,500 solar panels are powering a three mega-watt plant that is capable of saving 5,300 tonnes of carbon dioxide every year.

With one of the most impactful features, terminal A has an advanced surface movement control system, which is one-of-a-kind in the Middle East, that will let the flight land even faster, with added safety during bad weather conditions with low visibility.