ADIA itself saw traveller traffic jump 14 percent to 12.4 million last year,
stretching capacity at Abu Dhabi’s largest airport and creating demand for fresh infrastructure and jobs. “Te new terminal can’t arrive soon enough for Etihad,” said Saj Ahmad, chief analyst at StrategicAero Research. “With the carrier taking new deliveries of Airbus and Boeing jets almost every other month, it needs the capacity to cater for and handle passengers.” Te overhaul of the airport is, Ahmad said, a “vital piece of the
infrastructure jigsaw” that will help Abu Dhabi to lure lucrative long-haul traffic away from established tourism hubs. “Te new terminal will allow a greater number of passengers to transit
to the city or for onward flights. Either way, that›ll translate into a big market for local trade and tourism,” he said. “Te benefits to the wider local economy cannot be understated. Just as Dubai has captured the minds of tourists and shoppers, so too can Abu Dhabi.” ADAC has received six bids for the Midfield terminal from groups including Hyundai Engineering & Construction, Larsen & Toubro, and consortiums featuring local companies Al Habtoor and Al Jaber Group. Construction is expected to begin in the second quarter. Te building itself is set to be Abu Dhabi’s largest on completion, visible
from more than 1.5km away. Te central space of the terminal could hold three full-sized football pitches, with a ceiling that reaches 52m tall at its highest point. Te complex will include retail and F&B space spanning more than 20,000 sq m, roughly equivalent to the current size of Abu Dhabi’s Marina Mall l
APRIL 2012 I CITYSCAPE I 33
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