ABU DHABI – Travellers either in transit or departing from Abu Dhabi airport will soon be slapped with a new airport fee of Dh35 (US$9.53).

Starting at the beginning of next month, the service fee will apply to most passengers departing and transiting, with the exception of children aged two and under, as well as those who transit with the same airline crew and flight number. According to the Arabic daily newspaper, Al Ittihad, the revenue will be collected from the airlines by Abu Dhabi Airports, the government-owned operator of five airports.

The approval of the service fee comes only months following Sharjah and Dubai agreed on a similar fee of Dh35 on its airport passengers.

Lonely Planet reports that Abu Dhabi International is the UAE’s second busiest and is home to Etihad Airways, the Middle East’s third biggest carrier. The added charge is in addition to a Dh75 ($20.42) service fee and security fee of Dh5 ($1.36) which passengers leaving from the airport already have to pay.