Middle East ‘mega airport’ project to showcase at Airport Show

The Al Maktoum International Airport construction project will be highlighted at this year’s Airport Show following a signed agreement for the first phase of a project which will see annual capacity rise to 26.5 million by 2025.

Aviation Authority, Chairman of Dubai Airports, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline Group signed an agreement with Al Jaber LEGT Engineering and Contracting for the first phase of a project which will see the annual capacity at Al Maktoum International Airport rise to 26.5 million by 2025.

Capacity at Al Maktoum mega airport to rise to 26.5 million by 2025

Commenting on the development, His Highness Sheikh Ahmed said: “Al Maktoum International is being designed to become an airport of the future. We are building a range of amenities and facilities that will increase capacity and significantly enrich the airport experience, making it an attractive proposition for airlines as well as passengers.”

The project construction will be highlighted at this year’s Airport Show held from 9-11 May 2016 at Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre (DICEC). The event will provide a B2B platform for companies to meet the key managers on these mega developments and discuss project schedules and tender processes directly with them.

Representatives from over 200 airports in the region will participate at Airport Show, including:

• Al Maktoum International Airport: Entailing an investment of US$32 billion, the airport has a projected annual capacity of 12 million tonnes of freight and 160-260 million passengers and has already completed a 66,000 sqm terminal with 64-aircraft bays and a 4.5 km runway
• Ras Al Khaimah International Airport – currently undergoing significant redevelopment to further assist the Emirate’s growth plans including increasing terminal capacity by 140% and adding 7 new departure gates. In addition, RAK Airport will further enhance and develop airfield facilities such as new hangars, an aviation training facility, fuel farm with numerous fuel suppliers, a bespoke airport trade-free zone, MRO facility and new cargo terminal
• Ajman International Airport Project – entailing an investment of US$600 million, is expected to be completed by 2018. The airport will process over 1 million passengers annually
• Abu Dhabi International Airport – will have a new airport terminal complex commissioned by 2017. The US$2.9 billion project will effectively double the capacity of Etihad Airways’ home base to about 30 million passengers annually. The 700,000 square meter terminal building is one of the key strategic infrastructure projects to be undertaken in the UAE capital, and will initially handle 27 million passengers per year
• King Abdulaziz International Airport (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia) – started its three-stage development with a budget of over US$1.5 billion, with the goal of catering to over 30 million passengers. The first phase includes a 400,000 sqm terminal complex tower, control tower, access roads and utilities. Phase 2 and 3 will take the airport through to 2035 when it will cater to 85 million people
• Sultanate of Oman – has earmarked US$6.1 billion over five years for aviation projects, which includes major terminal developments at Muscat and Salalah international airports, and completion of four new regional airports at Sohar, Ras al Hadd, Duqm and Adam. While eight per cent of the US$6.1 billion is earmarked for the completion of the four regional airports, 92 per cent is allocated for the two primary airports in Muscat and Salalah
• Bahrain – undertaking a US$1 billion expansion of Bahrain International Airport to raise its capacity to 13.5 million passengers annually. The expansion will witness the construction of a new passenger terminal of more than 150,000 sqm and other buildings and related works by 2018

Over 50 VIP regional aviation delegations will be attending the event, including:

• Minister of Transport & Civil Aviation, Sri Lanka
• Director General, Civil Aviation Directorate of the Republic of Serbia
• Director General, Civil Aviation Agency of the Kyrgyz Republic
• Director General of Civil Aviation, Indonesia
• Director General, National Civil Aviation, Burkina Faso
• Director General, Civil Aviation Authority, Sierra Leone
• Director General, Sudan Regional Airports Co. Ltd.
• Director General, King Khalid International Airport
• Director General, Dushanbe international airport
• Director General, King Abdul Aziz International Airport
• Director General, Khartoum International Airport
• Director General, Khujand International Airport, Republic of Tajikistan
• Director General, King Fahad International Airport
• Chief Executive Officer, Bahrain Airport Company
• Chief Executive Officer, Oman Airports Management Company
• Chief Executive Officer, Moroccan Airports Authority
• Chief Executive Officer, Sudan Airports Holding Company
• Chief Executive Officer, daa International
• Managing Director, Maldives Airports Company
• Chairman, Sialkot International Airport