On October 11, 2026, the Abu Dhabi Media Office announced that Al Ain International Airport is being renamed Tahnoun International Airport. The naming honors Sheikh Tahnoun bin Mohammed Al Nahyan and his long-standing commitment to the United Arab Emirates.
This news takes me back to November 2008. At that time, the implementation of FM services for Dussmann Gulf LLC began at Al Ain International Airport. The project was managed until 2010.
Facility Management during ongoing airport operations
Implementing FM services at an airport requires a close connection between planning and operations. Responsibilities must be clear, processes must interlock reliably, and the teams involved must be able to perform their duties while operations are ongoing.
Successful implementation is therefore not shown solely by the start of the project. It is crucial that the agreed services function in everyday life and that the support remains reliable over a longer period of time.
A professional memory
The years 2008 to 2010 were a formative stage in my work in international facility management. The airport's current renaming reminds me of that project and the responsibility of implementing and managing FM services at a demanding location.
Today, I bring these experiences to the work of ELB Services. We support companies with facility management consulting and commercial outsourcing – with a focus on clear processes, reliable responsibilities, and an implementation that is sustainable in operations.
Jan Wilhelm
Managing Director, ELB Services GmbH