In an exclusive interview ADAC CCO, Mohammed Al Bulooki, tells Charlotte Smith that he is confident that MTB will resolve all capacity issues and offer an unparalleled passenger experience…just as long as it opens on time.

 

The fanfare surrounding the opening of ADAC’s new $2.94bn Midfield Terminal Building (MTB) on 17.7.17 has been considerable. ADAC’s claims that the new terminal will ‘break the mould’, puts added pressure on Mohammed Al Bulooki and his team, not only to deliver a superior retail offer, but to manage the every-increasing number of travellers passing through the airport, year-on-year.

 

“What I can tell you is that all the members of the management team, and every member of the board of directors have signed a 100-step plan to make sure this building opens on time,” says ADAC’s Al Bulooki. “There is not one person on the senior management who hasn’t signed it.

 

“Every single person – whether on the payroll of Abu Dhabi airport, or any of our contractors who are working on this project – wakes up every morning and goes to sleep every evening thinking about our deadline of 17-7-17.”

 

‘ON SCHEDULE’

When asked how the company would work around ‘unforeseen circumstances’ – such as those experienced at Berlin, Doha and London Heathrow Terminal 5 – which might cause delays, he replied: “We are on time and on schedule today. I can only speak about today; nobody really knows what the future holds, but today we are on time, on schedule.”

 

Artist rendering of Abu Dhabi Airports Midfield Terminal Building.

 

Al Bulooki assured TRBusiness.com that more than 15,000 staff are currently working on the construction site in Abu Dhabi. In another year’s time he says that the site will look considerably different.

 

ADAC is calling on retailers, food and beverage operators, as well as leading brands to participate in the RFP process for MTB. “Few opportunities like this exist to take advantage of such a unique and extensive commercial space, whose size and footfall make it so attractive,” adds Al Bulooki.

 

When asked if the new Midfield Terminal Building may be able to open early to accommodate the ever-increasing passenger traffic, his response was measured. “Well I like the date 17-7-17; that date sounds nice but to open early would be a decision taken after ORAT (Operational Readiness and Airport Transfer) has been undertaken.”

 

POSSIBLE EARLY OPENING?

ORAT is due to take place in the latter part of 2016, and is expected to take between seven and nine months. “Once this is complete we can make decisions on whether it is possible to move the date forward,” he adds. “There has been a lot of demand, true, we don’t say that’s not happening, but at the same time we have already been able to increase capacity at our existing operational terminals.”

 

Midfield Terminal Building construction site.

 

With the increase in traffic, air space capacity is also shrinking causing a sort of aviation gridlock in the skies. There have been several calls from aviation organsations for Gulf airports and airlines to work together to come up with a solution.

 

“I don’t think it is becoming dangerous because air traffic is highly regulated,” says Al Bulooki. “Yes there’s congestion. In terms of a plan to increase routes I think the Civil Aviation Authorities (CAA) are doing a good job at creating more options for the airlines and we know that there will be growth, so if the UAE really wants to continue to attract tourists it needs to attack this problem head on.”

 

The full-length interview with Mohammed Al Bulooki will feature in the May issue of the TRBusiness magazine.