Abu Dhabi Airports closes City Terminal check-in facility

The historic building, near to Abu Dhabi Mall, will shut from Thursday

 City Terminal in Abu Dhabi. The building used to be a bus station. Pawan Singh / The National 

Abu Dhabi Airport is to close its convenient City Terminal check-in facility from 6am on Thursday.

The airport did not give a reason for the closure beyond stating it was part of efforts to deliver a "smooth and seamless" passenger experience.

Previously, a passenger could get a boarding pass there and skip the hassle of bringing bags to the airport.

Travellers are now being redirected to the main airport or the other remote check-in at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre.

"The closure of the terminal falls in line with Abu Dhabi International Airport’s commitment to providing passengers with a streamlined and comfortable experience that allows passengers departing from the airport easy access to their flights and onward destinations," Abu Dhabi Airports said on Wednesday.

It urged passengers to check-in directly at Abu Dhabi airport or use the kiosk at Adnec which is open seven days a week from 9am to 8pm.

City Terminal in the Al Zahiyah (Tourist Club) neighbourhood was a popular place to check in as it was on a regular direct bus route to the airport.

Etihad was among the major carriers at city terminal and the airline charged Dh30 for the service.

It is unclear if Abu Dhabi Airport has any further plans for the building but it is getting ready to open its huge Midfield Terminal building.

But for now, the move marks the end of a long association between the building and public transport.

City Terminal was once a bus station, built more than three decades ago in concert with another in Al Bateen and the still operational main terminal.

Both smaller stations are familiar for their concrete canopies that provided shade for weary passengers.

Both Al Bateen and Tourist Club were still operating as stations until the mid-1990s. But Al Bateen station then became a mall, while the Tourist Club station was repurposed as city terminal in 1999.

Now the future looks unclear for one of Abu Dhabi's most distinctive buildings.