Abu Dhabi airport to be renamed after Sheikh Zayed

Abu Dhabi International Airport will be renamed after the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, it was announced on Tuesday. The President, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, issued directives to change the official name to Zayed International Airport.

The name change will take effect from February 9, 2024, “coinciding with the official opening ceremony of the new Terminal A”, according to the Abu Dhabi Government Media Office. The swanky terminal will operationally open today, November 1.

The new hub welcomed its first travellers as Etihad Airways operated a commercial flight to India on Tuesday. Flight EY224 from Abu Dhabi to New Delhi departed Terminal A at 2.35pm with 359 passengers.

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The first two weeks will be a transition period for airlines, with all terminals — A, 1, 2 and 3 — operating simultaneously. From November 14, all airlines will operate exclusively from Terminal A.

Etihad will transition flights to Terminal A in a phased manner from November 9. Between November 9 and 14, the airline will operate from Terminals A and 3. From 11am on November 14, the carrier will operate all flights from the new hub.

Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, visited the terminal on Tuesday. Spanning 742,000sqm, it has an annual capacity of up to 45 million passengers. Once fully operational, 28 airlines will operate out of Terminal A, serving a network of 117 destinations worldwide.

Antonoaldo Neves, chief executive officer, Etihad, said: “This is a pivotal and exciting moment in Etihad’s history. As we begin to celebrate our 20th anniversary in November, we are ready for the next growth chapter in our new home.

“Our congratulations go to the Abu Dhabi leadership for their vision in creating what is one of the world’s most spectacular airports. The terminal is a stunning piece of architecture that echoes the local landscape and warmly welcomes our guests and elevates their travel experience.”

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