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The highly anticipated Midfield Terminal Abu Dhabi International Airport It is scheduled to open this year, six years later than originally planned.construction in terminal There have been significant delays due to the pandemic and cost overruns.
The news of the terminal’s progress comes just weeks after the airport celebrated its 40th anniversary. new technology It is also being introduced at airports to reduce waiting times for passengers at security checkpoints.
more than six years late
The building was originally scheduled to open in 2017, but has been severely delayed. According to Paddle your own Kanoo, in 2019, the midfield terminal is said to be more than 97% complete. But two years later, Construction contract to be canceled due to unexpected costs, reports say. The cost of the terminal was initially pegged at $3 billion.
Photo: Turner and Townsend
Earlier this month, the airport confirmed that no further progress had been made over the past three years and the terminal remained in its pre-pandemic state. However, on Friday, Momberger Airport Information reported that the terminal will finally open later this year, with the inauguration likely to take place on December 2, 2023, the national day of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
In addition to the impact of the pandemic, Momberger cited issues with airport contractors and a downturn at homegrown airlines Etihad Airways as the reason for the delay.
Photo: Momberger Airport Information
state of the art
The new midfield terminal is part of a multi-billion dollar expansion plan.Abu Dhabi Airports, owner of Abu Dhabi International Airport and four other international airports in the UAE, said the building will be state-of-the-art and will handle more than 45 million passengers a year passenger. The airport’s capacity is expected to increase by 30 million passengers per year, equivalent to 8,500 passengers per hour.
During peak travel times, the terminal will have the capacity to handle more. According to Paddle your own Kanoo, the building can be expanded to serve up to 84 million passengers per year, with a floor area of ​​more than 742,000 square meters. Numerous duty-free shops and restaurants will also be spread throughout the 28,000-square-metre site. According to reports, the area of ​​the premium lounge will exceed 25,000 square meters.
The terminal will also feature the world’s most extensive baggage handling system, according to construction firm Turner & Townsend. As many as 20,000 people were involved in the construction of the terminal.
Photo: Turner and Townsend
Ditch passports for facial recognition
Abu Dhabi Airport will reportedly introduce new facial recognition technology for passengers. The new biometric technology will reduce airport queue times from check-in to boarding and eliminate the need for passengers to show their passports and boarding passes at security checkpoints.
The facial recognition system is expected to be introduced gradually. In November, Etihad Airways began testing the technology on flights to the US via the immigration pre-clearance facility at Abu Dhabi International Airport.
Over the next few months, the biometric system will be expanded across the airport for use by all airlines before being rolled out when the Midfield Terminal opens, The National reports.
source: Row your own Kanoo, Monburg airport information, turner and townsend, the whole country
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