Abu Dhabi airport advises travellers to check terminals as it prepares to move

Terminal A is ready to welcome passengers within days

Abu Dhabi International Airport's Terminal A will open on November 1. Photo: Abu Dhabi Airports

As Abu Dhabi International Airport prepares to open its new terminal, the operator has launched a campaign for passengers to make sure they head to the right one.

Terminal A will launch on November 1. However, the move will be done in phases and the current terminals will also be in use until November 14. From November 15, all flights will operate solely from the new terminal.

For those two weeks, passengers and those picking up or dropping off visitors are being urged to double-check information online at www.abudhabiairport.ae.

The new terminal is on track to open on schedule and all major services and facilities are ready for passengers, said a representative for Abu Dhabi Airports, which operates the travel hub.

To mark the opening, Etihad Airways' ceremonial flight is due to take off on Tuesday.

From November 1, Wizz Air Abu Dhabi and 15 other international airlines are scheduled to fly from the new terminal. From November 9, Etihad Airways will operate 16 flights from the terminal. And from November 14, a total of 28 airlines will operate from the terminal.

The terminal has been added to Google Maps and Waze, as well as other popular navigation apps. Motorway signs have also been added to the E10 and E11 as well as other locations in and around the facility.

Inter-terminal shuttle buses will carry passengers between buildings.

Trial operations at Abu Dhabi International Airport's new terminal have begun ahead of opening in November. Photo: Abu Dhabi Airports

More than 6,000 volunteers took part in the airport's largest trial and test exercise to date. Photo: Abu Dhabi Airports

All systems including check-in and baggage handling, security screening, boarding gates and immigration were stringently tested. Photo: Abu Dhabi Airports

Construction began in 2012 and the new terminal was originally scheduled for completion in 2017. Mona Al Marzooqi / The National

Etihad Airways, Wizz Air Abu Dhabi and Air Arabia will be moving to the new Terminal A in November. Delores Johnson / The National

At 742,000 square metres, it is one of the largest airport terminals in the world. Photo: Abu Dhabi Airports

"We look forward to welcoming passengers to the state-of-the-art Terminal A," said Frank McCrorie, chief operations officer at Abu Dhabi Airports. "The new terminal will bring a major increase in capacity and access to world-class facilities for both passengers and airlines."

The terminal's opening date was announced earlier this month. Trial operations finished on October 17, involving more than 11,000 volunteers.

The building, which is triple the size of the old terminal at 74 hectares, is set to double the current airport's capacity and manage up to 45 million passengers per year.

More than 115 flights will operate from there, significantly increasing the frequency and reach of flights to and from Abu Dhabi.