pole position S
Taking
Sarah Campbell caught up with Steve Jones, who is now in the driving seat at Abu Dhabi’s Al Bateen Executive Airport.
teve Jones had barely hit the tarmac at Al Bateen Executive Airport in Abu Dhabi before he was racing towards his fi rst major
development deadline. Taking the helm on November 1, the new general manager of Abu Dhabi’s business avaition hub had just 12 days to ensure that the airport was ready to meet the demands of Formula 1’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Jones has a mammoth task ahead of him, but it doesn’t seem to have him unduly worried.
“I am looking forward to experiencing
fi rst-hand how business works in the region and understanding the critical turnkeys for success. The challenge for the entire Al Bateen team will be to position the airport as the best business airport in the world, and ensure that every passenger passing through the airport has an excellent experience,” he remarks. With 37 years of aviation experience, and a background that includes managing businesses in aviation sales, MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul), manufacturing and defence, Jones brings a new viewpoint to developments at Al Bateen. “I have a breadth of experience that enables me to see things from different perspectives,” he says.
Major infrastructure projects A multi-million dollar re-development is currently underway at Al Bateen Executive Airport, which will cover all aspects of operation including the upgrade of its airfi eld, hangar, aviation support facilities and the re-modelling of its passenger facilities such as lounges
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and terminals. The construction of a hotel and expansion of the parking and retail facilities is also part of the master plan.
As the nearest aviation hub to Yas Island, phase one of the master plan has been tailored to the necessary developments needed to accommodate the second Etihad Airways sponsored Formula 1 Grand Prix. The inaugural race last year saw motorsport enthusiasts from all over the world descend on Abu Dhabi, driving an 18% increase in aircraft movements at both Abu Dhabi International and Al Bateen Executive airports.
The focus of the re-development of Al Bateen is to create a best in class business aviation dedicated airport, coupled with FBO facilities. It’s an ambitious project but for Jones, who recently arrived in Abu Dhabi from London Oxford Airport, it is all in a day’s work. Jones led the team at Oxford for 10 years, turning the airport into one of Europe’s fastest growing business airports. During his tenure, he repositioned the airport, capitalising on fresh investment and overseeing the creation of the award-winning Oxfordjet facility. However, this doesn’t mean he is blasé about the challenges waiting for him in the UAE. “Taking over the day-to-day management and development of Al Bateen Executive Airport is one of the most exciting and attractive projects in the industry,” he says. “There are some interesting parallels and synergies with the work at Oxford, and this is a golden opportunity to contribute to the creation of a world-class dedicated business and VIP aviation centre. However, it is important to recognise that there will be
differences, for example cultural styles and preferences, security and something as simple as the climate. I don’t think I will have to tackle 40cm of snow at Al Bateen! However, the crucial characteristics of service effi ciency and quality will be exactly the same, and London Oxford Airport is a clear parallel in that it is a dedicated business aviation airport.”
Already open at Al Bateen is a new executive terminal featuring two sizeable lounges (one with space for 50 or more passengers and the other around 20), plus a meeting room, and space for catering and for waiting drivers.
“Customs and immigration clearance is currently handled in the new executive terminal but Al Bateen’s owner, the government-backed Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC), is making arrangements for these formalities to be completed at aircraft to allow for even faster processing. Facilities for pilots, including a fl ight planning offi ce, are currently provided in the old terminal building, but work has already begun to provide a purpose-built facility for fl ight crew,” Jones explains.
The ADAC portfolio
ADAC currently boasts a portfolio of fi ve airports in the emirate. Abu Dhabi International Airport is the main airport and is being transformed into a regional and global hub that connects the East with the West. Al Ain International Airport that caters primarily to low-cost carriers and facilitates local and regional connections. Sir Bani Yas and Delma Islands’ airports have a role to play in developing tourism and Al Bateen Executive Airport is a dedicated private aviation airport catering solely to executive charter companies.
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