The midfield terminal at Abu Dhabi international airport will proceed under a general construction contract, said Sulaiman Al Siksek, the head of aviation project at Abu Dhabi Airports Company.

Speaking during MEED’s Abu Dhabi conference, Al Siksek said that “for now we will proceed…and go through general construction (contract).”

At the heart of the new expansion will stand the tallest control tower in the Middle East.

Abu Dhabi International airport is undergoing significant expansion with a new runway just two kilometres north of the existing runway being built and a new air traffic control tower to be finished mid 2010.

In line with the 2015 programme, five stands have already been handed over on the south side with 13 additional stands to be handed over in the next 18 months, Al Siksek said.

Abu Dhabi  Airports Company are also adding screening points, expanding the transfer baggage capacity and recently opened  a new car park. The car park has a capacity of over 1,600 spaces.

The midfield terminal will be completed and operational by the end of quarter one 2015. It will be able to handle 20 million passengers each year.

The terminal had been due to open in 2011 but has been put back due to some modifications and to accommodate the aggressive fleet acquisition of Etihad Airlines.

Abu Dhabi currently operates five airports, with Sir Baniyas and Delman purely tourism-driven.

Al Ain airport is reserved for cargo, freight and executives and Bateen airport will be for executives and private aircraft. However, plans  are not yet finalised.