Al Bateen Executive Airport, the dedicated business aviation airport of Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC), has signed a deal with Switzerland-based gategroup to set up an on-site executive catering unit.

The new facility will provide catering and aircraft provisioning services to all the business aircraft using the Al Bateen Executive Airport, said the two companies, which had signed a long-term deal at the recent 'Meba 2010' show in Dubai.

As per the agreement, gategroup's core brand, Gate Gourmet, would establish an on-site kitchen staffed around the clock with highly trained chefs producing gourmet meals from the highest quality ingredients, among other hospitality-related services.

'This is an important development for gategroup and its Middle East joint venture partners, Western Group and Sultan International Holding. The Al Bateen project will represent gategroup's first operational presence in the Middle East, and a stepping stone to greater opportunities in the fast-growing region,' said gategroup CEO Guy Dubois.

'We are very proud to be working with Adac, which reflects positively on Gate Gourmet's reputation for innovation, expertise and high quality service,' he added.

'We see Al Bateen as the future business aviation hub for the Middle East and believe this is the natural location to roll out gategroup's VIP catering concept for the first time in the region,' said Pierre Guggenheim, president of gategroup's Middle East region.

Al Bateen is witnessing unprecedented growth in traffic from based operators and visiting aircraft alike with the airport handling almost 8,000 movements in 2010, up over 30 per cent from last year.

Stephen Jones, general manager for Al Bateen Executive Airport, said, 'Traffic is increasing rapidly because of the airport's convenient location however we need to ensure that Al Bateen offers the highest quality facilities and services otherwise we don't offer value to the customer.'

'The establishment of a bespoke business aviation caterer is the first of many initiatives we will put in place to ensure that Al Bateen becomes the business airport everybody wants to fly to,' Jones added.

Adac has already invested $50 million in turning the 50-year-old military airport into a luxury business aviation gateway with an impressive VVIP passenger terminal. This latest announcement follows the installation of a brand new Instrument Landing System (ILS).-TradeArabia News Service