Abu Dhabi International Airport yesterday revealed details of Dh1.65 billion worth of projects that were approved by the Government last week.
The three projects are additional aircraft stands, an automated passenger mobility system and a tunnel under the southern runway.
The nine new aircraft stands, which serve as parking slots for planes, will be suitable for widebody aircraft such as the Airbus A380. “Construction of the new hard stands has already begun, and they will go into operation gradually from the fourth quarter of this year,” Abu Dhabi Airports said.
The automated passenger mobility system is a set of trams that will connect passengers from the Midfield Terminal Building, set to open in July 2017, to other future terminals.
The third project is a southern runway tunnel that will connect the Midfield terminal to existing terminals. The new tunnel will stretch more than 720 metres in length and 38 to 46 metres in width. Construction of the tunnel will begin immediately, as the southern runway has been closed since January so that it can be widened to accommodate widebody aircraft.
“The plans to enhance and develop the current infrastructure of the airport are a result of the monitoring and studying of the constant growth of passengers as well as the alignment with Etihad Airways’ growth strategy,” the airport said.
Abu Dhabi Airports reported a 15.1 per cent increase in passenger traffic during the first quarter of this year. The airport’s passenger count was at 4.5 million during the quarter, compared with 3.9 million a year earlier. Passenger traffic forecasts show a 30 per cent increase in passenger numbers by the time the Midfield terminal opens in 2017.
selgazzar@thenational.ae
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