It landed, shiny and gleaming with lots of tally-ho, even if it was six years late. Terminal A at Abu Dhabi airport, once known as the Midfield Terminal, was finally opened in an elaborate ceremony yesterday.
Etihad Airways operated the first commercial flight to land, EY224 flying to New Delhi, India.
Etihad flights will gradually transition to Terminal A between November 9 and 14, with all flights departing and arriving at Terminal A from 11 am on November 14. The terminal is set to be fully operational with 28 airlines transitioning to Terminal A by November 14, 2023.
Passengers on the inaugural flight had the opportunity to check-in at Terminal A, experience the new flagship Etihad Lounges, and enjoy a special menu at the Etihad Lounge.
The terminal will increase the airport’s passenger capacity to over 30m per year, with potential to double to 60m and further expand to 80m.
It will have a floor area of over 780k square meters, making it one of the world’s largest airport terminals.
The design of the terminal’s exterior was created by Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates.
Etihad Airways and other airlines based in Abu Dhabi will gradually move their operations to the new terminal once it opens.
The opening of the terminal has faced several delays, initially planned for July 7 2017, then pushed back to early 2019, then the last quarter of 2019, and then further postponed multiple times due to various reasons, including the COVID-19 pandemic.
A major construction contract was cancelled in July 2021, and a new contractor, Trojan, was assigned to complete the construction.
Terminal A is a key part of Etihad’s growth strategy, with the capacity to handle up to 45m passengers annually and connect Abu Dhabi to 117 global destinations. It offers dedicated check-in desks, biometric self-bag drop facilities, and exclusive areas for different cabin classes
