Terminal 3 of Abu Dhabi Airport becomes fully operational

The Terminal 3 (T3) of Abu Dhabi International Airport yesterday became fully operational with the completion of transfer of flight from Terminal 1.

T3 was built as part of Dh25 billion ($6.8 billion) expansion plan, and is set to expand the airport's capacity to 12 million passengers a year, an increase of more than five million. The Etihad Airways-only terminal was built with a cost of Dh1bn.

"The terminal will serve only Etihad Airways, which accounts for about 45 per cent of its Abu Dhabi flights. The transfer of 32 flights, predominantly European and Australasian, has been completed. All the intra-GCC flights of Etihad will continue to operate from Terminal 1," Dan Cappell, Non-Aeronautical Revenue and Business Vice-President at Abu Dhabi Airports Company (Adac), told Emirates Business.

He said as part of a phased opening strategy, which started in the last quarter of 2008, the new terminal facilities have gone through rigorous testing and scrupulous technical assessment to ensure passenger comfort, safety as well as security.

When asked if the current structures, including T3, will be scrapped after the completion and operation in 2012 of Midfield Terminal (the new airport being developed with a cost of $6.8bn), Cappell said T3 will continue to operate as part of the new airport.

"A lot of money has been invested to have this world-lass luxury terminal. It will continue to operate along with the new airport in 2012. It has been developed with a five-year plan that is complete," he said.

The new terminal has 10 departure gates and covers 88,000sqm. The new Duty Free hosts 19 retail boutiques including Hermès, Cartier, Fendi, Salvatore Ferragamo, Rolex, Jimmy Choo, Loewe and Chloe, and offers a first-of-its-kind, premium retail experience to all passengers.

Adac Chairman Khalifa Mohamed Al Mazrouei, in a statement on the occasion, said Adac has worked hard on the design of the new terminal to create an unrivalled passenger experience.

He said: "It is a unique modern facility that features the latest technology, follows international standards and offers a premium experience to passengers with exclusive retail and luxury goods and services."

He said the opening of the facility as a major leap, and its state-of-the-art infrastructure matches Abu Dhabi's unparalleled growth in air transport and cargo handling.

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