Building a safer, smarter passenger experience at Abu Dhabi’s Midfield Terminal
Abu Dhabi’s Midfield Terminal is a flagship development aligned to the emirate’s 2030 vision, designed to welcome a dramatically higher volume of travelers each year. Spanning roughly 700,000 square meters, the program began in 2012 and has progressed through rigorous planning and construction phases with comprehensive management, supervision, cost control, sustainability initiatives, and operational readiness (ORAT) services. The scope covers the full terminal building and its airside and landside infrastructure, plus passenger and cargo facilities, duty-free, and dining—bringing together scale, operational sophistication, and design innovation to minimize environmental impact.
Within this setting, Jacques Technologies has delivered an integrated communications solution purpose-built for large, complex airport environments. Our platform unifies IP intercom terminals and help point units, concourses, gates, and airside zones, all over existing LAN/WAN with Power over Ethernet to simplify deployment and scaling. Operators benefit from centralised, 24/7 call handling with clear, full‑duplex audio, while event‑driven integration with CCTV automatically presents nearby camera views when a help point is activated—allowing security teams to see exactly what’s happening as they speak with the caller. Multi‑zone paging supports live announcements and scheduled safety or emergency messages, and high‑availability redundancy with real‑time diagnostics, tamper detection, and continuous self‑testing ensures clear communication and operational uptime at peak times.
Airports demand long cable runs between switches and field devices; to meet those distances without compromising performance, the solution includes Ethernet extender modules that push connectivity beyond standard 100‑meter limits. This flexibility preserves design intent and device placement—whether at curbside, in expansive check‑in halls, along duty‑free corridors, or out on airside—without sacrificing audio quality or system resilience. Accessibility features such as induction loop hearing assistance, tactile and braille signage with high‑contrast wayfinding, and wheelchair‑height controls are available to support diverse passenger needs across the entire terminal.
Integration is central to the Midfield Terminal approach. The Jacques system works alongside third‑party platforms for security and building operations, with help point activations capable of triggering camera switching and other workflow automations. Centralized recording captures intercom and help‑point audio with rich metadata for incident management and compliance, while configurable rules link recordings and alerts to specific events—creating a strong audit trail for safety teams and operational readiness programs.
As the Midfield Terminal moves toward supporting significantly increased passenger throughput, the communications layer provided by Jacques helps ensure the space remains intuitive, secure, and responsive. Rapid assistance at help points, and seamless operator workflows all contribute to smoother wayfinding, faster incident response, and better overall passenger experience. Combined with the project’s broader focus on sustainability and innovative design, the airport’s new communications backbone reinforces its readiness for growth—supporting day‑one operations and scalable expansion long into the future.