By IANS,
Abu Dhabi : Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC), a public joint stock company, Tuesday announced it will establish the Middle East’s first dedicated executive airport.
The new facility, to be developed with an investment of over 200 million dirhams ($54.4 million) as an exclusive corporate jet facility, will come up at the Al Bateen military base, 10 km from Abu Dhabi, according to an ADAC statement.
“As a growing centre of international business and finance, Abu Dhabi has seen significant growth in the number of corporate jets coming to the city over the last few years,” ADAC chairman and managing director (CMD) Khalifa Al Mazrouei said in the statement.
“With this development, we are able to meet that demand today and into the future.”
According to the statement, ADAC will develop a ‘one-stop shop’ business jet facility, offering VVIP and VIP passenger terminals, airport services, maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), fuel, handling and all other fixed-base operational services.
“The site offers a unique strategic location just minutes from the heart of the UAE’s (United Arab Emirates) capital city. The facilities already in place will allow us to accommodate more corporate jet operations immediately,” Al Mazrouei said, adding that it will be one of the best executive airports in the world.
The 3,200-metre runway can accommodate a range of aircraft types and sizes, from smaller corporate jets up to Boeing business jets (BBJs) or Boeing 737-800s. Aircraft can park at one of 30-plus stands and passengers can have access through three passenger terminals.
“The conversion of the Bateen airbase to a private jet airport is a core element of ADAC’s strategy to meet current and future air travel demand in the emirate,” pointed out Al Mazrouei.
There are over 380 corporate jets based in the Middle East, a figure that is forecast to grow to 900 by 2014.
According to ADAC, with industry experts predicting that close to 15,000 business jets worth a total of $192 billion will be purchased over the next decade, the regional business aviation markets will have massive potential, achieving 18 percent growth year-on-year.
“The corporate jet market is an important element of Abu Dhabi’s air transport strategy,” the ADAC CMD said.
“By creating the dedicated executive jet airport, we are taking an important step forward in regional leadership of this sector and in reinforcing the credentials of the emirate of Abu Dhabi as the region’s premier venue for the aviation and aerospace industry to flourish,” he added.
The Bateen facility will add a third airport to ADAC’s portfolio of aviation facilities it owns and operates, the other two being the Abu Dhabi and Al Ain airports.
ADAC is also planning to operate several island airports at Delma and Sir Baniyas to support the tourist trade via air taxis operating from both Bateen and Abu Dhabi International Airport.