Abu Dhabi Airports said about 86 per cent of the work on its iconic Dh19.1 billion ($5.19 billion) Midfield Terminal Building (MTB) has been completed and is on track for launch by the fourth quarter of 2019.

The company, which is the operator of both Abu Dhabi and Al Ain International airports, has so far spent about 66 per cent of the budget (nearly Dh12.5 billion) for the MTB, said the state news agency Wam, citing a senior official.

As per schedule, MTB will be ready for operation in 2019. It will serve 84 million passengers a year, or 11,000 passengers per hour at peak times, stated Abdul Majeed Al Khoori, the acting CEO at Abu Dhabi Airports.

The new terminal building will have 28,000 sq m of retail and food and beverage space, explained Al Khoori during a media tour organised to give an update on the progress made in the construction of the mega aviation project.

The 742,000-sq-m MTB features the world’s longest indoor arch – 180 m long and 52-m high, weighing 1,000 tonnes, he added.

Some of the key facts of the project are:

1. Over 15,000 workers are on the site.
2. MTB roof is resting on 18 steel arches                                                                                                    3.MTB roof grill weighs 20,000 tonnes                                                                                                        4.MTB baggage handling system will process over 19,200 bags per hour, along 28 km of conveyor.

5. MTB is designed to have 45 minutes minimum connection time, including baggage transfers        

6. MTB will have 35,000 sq m of Duty Free shopping, retail, dining, and entertainment                           7.Total size of MTB is 742,000 sq m                                                                                                             8.MTB is visible from 1.5 km away                                                                                                               9.MTB has four piers, with 65 stands, and 14 remote stands - Its longest pier is 550 m                        10.All four of MTB’s piers used a total of 26,500 tonnes of steel                                                                 11. 200,000 sq m of glass is being used for curtain-walling of MTB

12. 260,000 sq m of aluminium is being used for the roof of the MTB
13. MTB has been given Three Pearl Rating by Estidama Pearl Building Rating System
14. MTB will have 145 elevators
15. MTB will have 46 travelators
16. MTB will have 106 passenger bridges
17. MTB will have over 30,000 sq m of lounge space

The experimental operations will begin by the end of 2018, said the report.