Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH)

Flying from Manchester Int'l UK to Bangkok with Etihad, I had NO idea what awaited me on arrival in Abu Dhabi. The central forum is dominated by a huge circular pyrotechnic/psychedelic dome that one needs to be tripping on LSD to truly appreciate! Bizarre don't quite cut it ... There isn't much to do whilst stranded there - a couple of eateries on ground level, but even more on the level below which is extremely badly signposted, in my view. This place has the feel of an international traffic facility that has been poorly planned, indifferently built, and not yet completed, if ever. It is over-crowded and carries the slightly pervasive stink of unwashed ...  Read the complete review

I have been through Abu Dhabi airport on two occasions, on a flight to Sydney and the return leg nine months later. After a 6-hour flight from London Heathrow, was really looking forward to a three-hour rest in Abu Dhabi Airport. Having never visited the Middle East before I didn't know what to expect although obviously I was stuck in the Airport. On arrival I felt like I was stuck inside some huge tube thing... The design is very claustrophobic, not what I wanted just having got off a flight and about to get onto a 15 hour one. It is shaped in a circular strange 'doughnut' shape. Though this is very impressive, it doesn't provide a nice comforting airy ...  Read the complete review

AUH is one of the major interchange points for Etihad airways and considered a "gateway" to the Middle East. It is currently under expansion, and a visit there clearly indicates why this is necessary. I found myself here on a flight home from Australia to London. I had already stopped off in the lovely Singapore Changi Airport, and was keen to see what my next stopover would have to offer. What an anti-climax. I had an overnight stay of approx 7 hours. Here's how I survived! What strikes you first is the slightly bizarre layout and rather distracting ceiling design. The airport is circular in shape, with a big hole carved out of the middle, from ...  Read the complete review