Zayed's X Factor

When Zayed International Airport (formerly known as Abu Dhabi Airport’s Terminal A) officially opened its doors for operations in November 2023, it solidified Abu Dhabi’s status on the global aviation stage, providing a gateway through which the Emirate can share its heritage with the world.

Six months on and the airport has gone from strength to strength. Described as one of the largest and most complex airport projects to date for architectural firm Kohn Pederson Fox, the X-shape of the 742,000 sqm terminal was created to improve operational efficiency and passenger flow with an average curb-to-gate walking time of 12 minutes.

Each pier of the X is themed depending on whether it points towards the desert, sea, city or oasis. Elena Sorlini, managing director and CEO Abu Dhabi Airports, described the architecture as having a “strong connection with the natural environment of the Emirate.”

The terminal’s undulating roof (famed for its cameo appearance in Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning when Tom Cruise raced across it) is reminiscent of the desert’s rolling sand dunes. It also creates a canopy that drapes over the terminal’s façade, reducing the need for external shading devices.

High-performance glass helps control glare and heat from the desert sun and contributes to the terminal’s energy efficiency. Inside, the large-span structural arches and largely column-free interior create an expansive space and future-proofs the terminal for different layouts. Although the current passenger capacity is 45 million per year, the ability to expand this to 65 million is already factored into Abu Dhabi Airports’ master plan.

When illuminated at night the imposing structure, which is elevated 50m above ground, can be seen from some 1,500m away. Speaking to Arabian Aerospace during a tour of the new terminal, Nathalie Jongma, Abu Dhabi Airports head of aviation development declared it “an iconic landmark in the region”.

Accents of Abu Dhabi continue to reflect a sense of place within the terminal. The giant 22-meter-tall Sana Al Nour, a Barjeel structure inspired by the wind towers of the Gulf region and traditional Islamic architecture, greets passengers as they pass through the departures hall. Meanwhile, in the arrivals hall an eye-catching sculptural staircase offers a dramatic welcome.

It's not just the design aesthetic that leaves a lasting impression. A streamlined check-in, efficient baggage handling and seamless wayfinding processes mean an effortless travel experience, that exemplifies Emirati hospitality. There are 28km of advanced baggage handling systems processing up to 19,200 bags per hour.

The average wait for luggage is 15 to 20 minutes. There are 14 self-service check-in kiosks with bag drop, 70 immigration counters, 163 elevators, 122 escalators, 58 travellators, and 12 hearing loops. At every corner the airport is poised to deliver on customer satisfaction.

“The emphasis is on creating that all-important seamless experience for passengers,” explained Jongma, referencing the airport’s US pre-clearance facility – the first-of-its-kind in the region. Once fully implemented, the airport will also be the first international airport to introduce biometric technology at nine different touch points. “So in theory you could go from your front door to your destination without having to remove your hands from your pockets,” she added.

The airport has harnessed facial recognition technology and analytics to create a travel experience that flows seamlessly from check-in, self-bag drop and e-registration to e-border gates and self-boarding. Processing times are reduced by 70 per cent, allowing more time for passengers to explore the more than 160 retail, leisure and dining facilities.

The wider roll out of biometric cameras in these areas will allow for a more personalised, efficient experience enabling passengers to access airport services without additional identification. The airport has collaborated with various partners, including Idemia, on its biometric solutions, with Osama Al Makhamreh, VP Sales, Middle East and Africa, Idemia Public Security saying Zayed International’s Single Token Journey “sets a new standard for passenger facilitation.”

Factoring in the need for sustainable growth, Abu Dhabi Airports is keen to share the airport’s green credentials. The facility is ‘green building certified’ under the Pearl Building Rating System. More than 90 per cent of the steel and 82 per cent of the timber used in constructing the new terminal is certified from sustainable sources.

More than 70 per cent of plants used at the terminal’s campus landscaping are native and adaptive species that are drought- and saline- resistant. Water-efficient fixtures and fittings have been installed throughout the airport, while 7,500 solar panels power a 3MW plant, saving 5,300 tonnes of CO2 annually. The floor-to-ceiling glass façade helps provide plenty of natural lighting with huge eye-shaped windows in the ceiling helping to draw the light in. Everywhere you look, it's these carefully considered and functional design touches that add to the airport’s aesthetic appeal.

It's not just passengers that are benefitting from the new terminal either. Since opening last year, the airport has welcomed an increased roster of international airlines. Capable of handling 79 aircraft at once, the airport is connected to more than 124 passenger destinations. A total of 22.5 million passengers flew through Zayed International in 2023, a 44.7 per cent increase on 2022.

Significantly, 51 per cent of the passengers’ fly point-to-point, underlining the airport’s role in driving tourism revenue for the region. “We currently average around 400 aircraft movements and up to 75,000 passengers per day,” revealed Jongma.

Around 60 per cent of the traffic is served by the national carrier, Etihad, although Jongma noted that low-cost carriers, including Wizz Air Abu Dhabi and Air Arabia Abu Dhabi have grown exponentially.

“Last year we also welcomed five new airlines and this year in Q1, we’ve welcomed another three: Hainan Airlines, Turkmenistan Airlines and British Airways. Existing carriers are also increasing their presence. FlyNas has announced another daily flight starting in September and IndiGo is increasing its presence by 50 per cent with an additional 21 flights per week.”

While London is currently the most popular destination for passengers travelling from Abu Dhabi, with the city pair well served by Etihad and British Airways, other popular routes include Mumbai and Doha. India, alongside Saudi Arabia, are key target markets for growth.

And despite the growth of its close airport neighbour – Dubai Airports recently confirmed that in line with anticipated growth it will relocate all operations from Dubai International to Al Maktoum-Dubai World Central within the next decade – Jongma sees this as fair competition.

“The development of DWC is a catalyser for growth and therein lies an opportunity for Zayed International too. We have a different value proposition, different anchor tenants and airlines. If our airline partners continue growing at the pace they are currently, then we will need to expand our airport much faster than initially planned, but we will continue to keep the passenger experience at the heart of everything we do.”