Abu Dhabi's Al Bateen Executive Airport is expected to see growth between four and seven per cent this year in the number of flights supported by the plunge in oil prices, according to Ahmad Al Haddabi, chief operations officer at Abu Dhabi Airports.

The airport, which is dedicated to business jets, saw around 33,000 flights in 2015.

As private jet operators tend not to be involved in price hedging deals for oil, they can benefit from lower costs and hence, higher profits. This is set to boost traffic at Al Bateen Airport, with around 500 passengers expected to use the airport on a daily basis this year.

Discussing the Midfield Terminal, which is the part of the expansion plans at Abu Dhabi International Airport, the COO said that the terminal was 70 per cent complete, with construction being on track for the December 2017 opening.

Al Haddabi was speaking at a press conference on Wednesday to announce details on the upcoming Abu Dhabi Air Expo 2016, which will be held from March 8-10 as part of Abu Dhabi Aviation and Aerospace Week.

The three-day event is expected to welcome over 20,000 visitors from the aviation and aerospace industries, as well as 300 exhibitors that include manufacturers and suppliers of private jets, helicopters, and airport equipment, among others.

The figures mark an increase from the 13,743 visitors and the 195 exhibitors that attended Air Expo 2014.

Over 150 aircraft, from ultralight to heavy business jets, will be on show.

Source: Gulf News