Abu Dhabi-based carrier Etihad Airways has become the first foreign carrier to switch its flights to the new terminal at Queen Alia International Airport in the Jordanian capital Amman.
The US$750m terminal, designed by architect Foster + Partners, is expected to increase capacity at the airport by more than 60 percent to nearly 12m passengers a year when it opens this month.
Queen Alia’s upgraded terminal features new facilities including larger check-in areas and newly designed retail and dining outlets.
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"We believe moving to the new airport is a positive step which will continue to meet our guests’ expectations of travelling with the world’s leading airline,” said Etihad COO Captain Richard Hill.
Etihad currently runs two daily services from the UAE capital to Queen Alia, with flights departing Abu Dhabi at 08:10 and 13:00 and arriving in Amman at 10:40 and 15:40. The return services leave the Jordanian capital at 11:25 and 16:30 and arrive back in the UAE at 15:15 and 20:20.
The old terminal at Queen Alia opened in 1983, with international tourism being a sizeable contributor to the Jordanian economy.
Though the total number of visitors to the country fell by 7.3 percent in 2012 to 6.3m, total receipts increased 15.3 percent in the year from 2011, adding US$3.47bn to the economy, according to official government figures.
The kingdom aims to increase tourism revenue to JD4.2bn annually by 2015.
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