(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Abu Dhabi Airports plans to upgrade its Al Bateen Executive Airport within the next couple of years, including its runway and aprons, a senior official said.
Nasser Juma, general manager of operations at Abu Dhabi Airports, said this would be the first upgrade of the runway by the company since it took over in 2008.
"There are plans and we are looking at the best timing for execution. Normally that would take full study and we will announce it soon. It is difficult to give timeframe for the runway upgrade but will definitely be before 2020. The closure of the runway will be decided once the study is complete," he said, adding that a few roads in the vicinity of airport will also be upgraded.
Al Bateen - an exclusive business aviation airport - is growing conservatively at four per cent in terms of aircraft traffic, Juma said while speaking at the recently-held Abu Dhabi Air Expo. He said the airport's traffic graph is showing an upward trend from 2012 when the company hosted the expo.
Saj Ahmad, chief analyst at StrategicAero Research, said the buoyancy of the private jet market over the next several years will continue to expand in the UAE and GCC, driven by new technologies, fuel efficiency and passenger comfort.
"These elements, along with the broader proliferation of city-based airports will allow operators to draw in more private business jet users that want to get between city pairs by avoiding congested hubs. Time is money and that's where private jets make so much more sense," he said, adding that most of the buyers of private jets in the GCC are millennials, royals and high net worth individuals.
"Those whose incomes are in the higher earning category could easily spend upwards of $15,000 on a ticket with Etihad in their Residence product - or they could pay a bit more and charter their own private jet. Indeed, fractional ownership as well as outright purchases has seen the global elite buying private jets for use without hesitation. Since doing so means avoiding busy airports and being able to fly at a moment's notice. That inherence flexibility is something that business jet users covet most," Ahmad concluded.
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