Planning for the construction of a new USD20billion "airport city" near Cairo International Airport is to be concluded come April reports from Egypt’s Ministry of Civil Aviation state. The new development will be the first of three similar projects to be built in the capital, Alexandria (Burg Al Arab airport) and at Port Said airport. |
| Overview of Cairo International Airport |
The Ministry, in collaboration with an unknown Birtish aviation firm, Icon, are said to be finalizing the final strategy needed to build the mammoth 10million sqm project, whose plans will provide for the construction of a number of restaurants and hotels, intended to accommodate future expansions in Cairo airport’s passenger capacity, which is expected to reach 70 million by 2022.
Located at the crossroads of Africa, the Middle East, Europe and the
Persian Gulf, the Egyptian Ministry of Civil Aviation, along with the
Egyptian Holding Company for Airports & Air Navigation and the Cairo
Airport Company, in 2002, embarked on a long-term development
plan to turn Cairo International Airport, Africa's second busiest airport after Johannesburg OR Tambo International, into a passenger and cargo hub for the Middle
East/ North Africa region. Recently finished projects include new runway 05R/23L and a new Control Tower to accommodate future traffic development.
Minister of Civil Aviation, Wael al-Maddawy said that a 10-year future development plan had been presented to the Shura
Council’s Transportation Committee earlier this month regarding the
implementation of similar projects in other parts of the country.
“The Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA), on concluding the review, plans to build a passenger reception hall for the airport capable of hosting an expected three million passengers at an expected cost of EGP 180 million, in addition to an additional aeroplane corridor at a cost of EGP 120 million,” Al-Madawi said.
Source [VenturesAfrica]
Overall, the "Airport City" project will generate 30'000 direct jobs and 70'000 indirect jobs.
The official launch of the project is expected to be announced at the Airport Cities Conference to be held in Johannesburg from 24 to 26 April.
The official launch of the project is expected to be announced at the Airport Cities Conference to be held in Johannesburg from 24 to 26 April.
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| Renders for renovated Terminal 2, Cairo International Airport |
In the interim, Cairo Terminal 2 is under renovation and is scheduled for
reopening in 2015. On completion, it will handle around 8.5 million passengers with double the previous number of gates from 7 to 14 (and an
additional 5 remote stands). The terminal will raise the airport's
passenger capacity to 24 million.
Despite the events following the January 2011 revolution, Egypt's airports generated USD79million (EGP534million) in profits for 2012, though passenger numbers have declined by 3 million to 15 million in 2012 compared to 18 million before January 2011.
Mr al-Maddawy added that while the airports in Sharm al-Sheikh, Hurghada, Luxor, Aswan and Burg al-Arab are
profitable, the country has 12 that have sustained heavy losses,
including three in New Valley.
Therefore, in order to maximise all possible revenue, Minister al-Maddawy said that other projects were currently being developed and included a new reception/arrivals hall with the capacity to handle 10 million
passengers/annum at Sharm El Sheikh Airport, being funded by the African Development Fund (ADF) to the tune of USD360 million
A third reception hall with a capacity for 7.5 million passengers annually is also to be constructed at
Hurghada Airport in the coming year at a cost of USD1.7billion.
