The UAE President has directed the renaming of Al Ain International Airport to Tahnoun International Airport with the change taking immediate effect on October 11, 2026. His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan issued the order to commemorate the late Sheikh Tahnoun bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, who died on May 1, 2024, at the age of 82. The Emirates News Agency reported that the step underscores values of loyalty to the founding generation whose efforts built the country’s institutions across successive stages of growth.
Sheikh Tahnoun bin Mohammed Al Nahyan served as the Ruler’s Representative in the Al Ain Region for more than five decades after his appointment in 1971. According to historical accounts compiled by The National, he acted as a close adviser to the UAE’s founding father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and played a key role in the lead-up to the union declared on December 2, 1971. He previously held the position of Minister of Municipalities and Agriculture from July 1971 onward.
Throughout his career the late sheikh occupied several senior posts that shaped Abu Dhabi’s development. WAM figures show he served as chairman of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, vice chairman of the Supreme Petroleum Council and deputy chairman of Abu Dhabi’s Executive Council while also chairing Al Ain Municipality and overseeing agriculture and municipal affairs in the emirate’s early years. The Presidential Court declared seven days of official mourning after his death with flags flown at half-mast across the country.
Al Ain International Airport opened on March 31, 1994, and forms part of the five facilities operated by Abu Dhabi Airports. Data from Abu Dhabi Airports placed passenger traffic at the site among components that helped the emirate exceed 33 million total passengers in 2025, with Al Ain recording 9.2 percent annual growth that year as part of broader network expansion. The operator has outlined a five-year development plan announced in 2025 to upgrade infrastructure and boost air travel along with tourism in the region.
The renaming initiative reflects ongoing efforts to recognise contributions from the UAE’s early leaders. In November 2018 authorities renamed the E66 motorway linking Al Ain and Dubai after Sheikh Tahnoun bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, according to records from Gulf News. Such measures align with the leadership’s practice of preserving the legacy of those who guided the country through its formative period and beyond.
Abu Dhabi Airports continues to register strong growth across its network with Zayed International Airport as the flagship hub. Figures released by the company indicate aircraft movements at Al Bateen Executive Airport rose 7 percent annually in 2025 while cargo volumes expanded significantly across all sites. The Al Ain facility additionally supports training operations for multiple aviation academies including Etihad Aviation Training and Khalifa Bin Zayed Flying Academy.
