Abu Dhabi is expecting 16.6 million passengers to have passed through its airport by the end of 2013, MEED’s Abu Dhabi 2013 conference was told on 9 December.

Tony Douglas, chief executive officer (CEO) of Abu Dhabi Airports Company (Adac), told the event that 16.59 million passengers are expected to pass through the emirate’s international airport in 2013, up from 14.7 million passengers in 2012.

Douglas said the airport was expecting this number to increase to more than 30 million passengers by 2020.

As part of plans to cope with rising passenger numbers, Adac is currently overseeing the construction of the Midfield Terminal project, which will have a capacity of 27.1 million passengers. The terminal is on schedule for operation in July 2017. It will have a peak hour capacity of 8,327 passengers and will house the world’s biggest baggage-handling system, capable of handling 19,000 bags an hour.