Abu Dhabi International Airport has officially changed its name to Zayed International Airport.
The name change, which was announced last year and ordered by President Sheikh Mohamed, in honour of the UAE's Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, came into effect on Friday.
It coincides with the official opening of the airport's Terminal A, Abu Dhabi Media Office reported.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad, Adviser for Special Affairs at the Presidential Court, and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Airports Board of Directors, attended the naming ceremony at the airport on Friday.
"We are immensely proud to rename Abu Dhabi's largest airport in honour of the Founding Father of the UAE," Sheikh Mohammed said.
"The unsurpassed achievements of the late Sheikh Zayed in connecting our country to nations around the world have inspired our commitment to ensuring that Abu Dhabi further strengthens its position as a world-leading hub for travel, trade and commerce."
Activities will also be held at the airport throughout the weekend, including live performances by international artists, digital events, personalised travel giveaways and promotions.
The airport's new logo was also unveiled at the event, which features a traditional dhow boat, a date palm tree, the desert sun, Qasr Al Hosn Fort, and Terminal A.
Etihad Airways and Wizz Air announced flash sales from February 9 to 14 to mark the occasion, while the airport's shops and restaurants will offer special deals until Sunday, February 11.
The Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre also marked the occasion by releasing images captured by KhalifaSat showing the progress of work at Terminal A in the Zayed International Airport.
Covering 742,000 square metres, it is one of the largest airport terminals in the world and will significantly increase the airport's passenger and cargo capacity.
The $3 billion building is set to double capacity and manage up to 45 million passengers a year.
It is capable of handling 79 aircraft at once and 11,000 passengers per hour.
The terminal has nine main biometric touchpoints including self-service kiosks, immigration e-gates and boarding gates, as well as streamlined security checkpoints.
It also uses facial recognition technology to screen passengers and minimise waiting times.
Watch: Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed tours Abu Dhabi Airport Terminal A ahead of opening
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Important questions to consider
1. Where on the plane does my pet travel?
There are different types of travel available for pets:
- Manifest cargo
- Excess luggage in the hold
- Excess luggage in the cabin
Each option is safe. The feasibility of each option is based on the size and breed of your pet, the airline they are traveling on and country they are travelling to.
2. What is the difference between my pet traveling as manifest cargo or as excess luggage?
If traveling as manifest cargo, your pet is traveling in the front hold of the plane and can travel with or without you being on the same plane. The cost of your pets travel is based on volumetric weight, in other words, the size of their travel crate.
If traveling as excess luggage, your pet will be in the rear hold of the plane and must be traveling under the ticket of a human passenger. The cost of your pets travel is based on the actual (combined) weight of your pet in their crate.
3. What happens when my pet arrives in the country they are traveling to?
As soon as the flight arrives, your pet will be taken from the plane straight to the airport terminal.
If your pet is traveling as excess luggage, they will taken to the oversized luggage area in the arrival hall. Once you clear passport control, you will be able to collect them at the same time as your normal luggage. As you exit the airport via the ‘something to declare’ customs channel you will be asked to present your pets travel paperwork to the customs official and / or the vet on duty.
If your pet is traveling as manifest cargo, they will be taken to the Animal Reception Centre. There, their documentation will be reviewed by the staff of the ARC to ensure all is in order. At the same time, relevant customs formalities will be completed by staff based at the arriving airport.
4. How long does the travel paperwork and other travel preparations take?
This depends entirely on the location that your pet is traveling to. Your pet relocation compnay will provide you with an accurate timeline of how long the relevant preparations will take and at what point in the process the various steps must be taken.
In some cases they can get your pet ‘travel ready’ in a few days. In others it can be up to six months or more.
5. What vaccinations does my pet need to travel?
Regardless of where your pet is traveling, they will need certain vaccinations. The exact vaccinations they need are entirely dependent on the location they are traveling to. The one vaccination that is mandatory for every country your pet may travel to is a rabies vaccination.
Other vaccinations may also be necessary. These will be advised to you as relevant. In every situation, it is essential to keep your vaccinations current and to not miss a due date, even by one day. To do so could severely hinder your pets travel plans.
Source: Pawsome Pets UAE
New UK refugee system
- A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
- Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
- A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
- To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
- Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
- Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
