A new mega-airport, costing approximately R114,6 billion, is being built near the town of Bishoftu in Ethiopia. Markedly, it will be Africa’s biggest airport.
What are the current plans for the project?
Ethiopian Airlines and Dar Al-Handasah Consultants reached a deal earlier this year for the design and for overseeing the project, as reported by Express. The project has been named ‘Mega Airport City’.
“The project will not only enhance connectivity but also drive economic growth and prioritise environmentally responsible practices in our country and beyond.”
Mesfin Tasew, Ethiopian Airlines Group Chief Executive
Developers anticipate that the airport could accommodate around 110 million passengers per year, making it one of the busiest in the world. The current plan is that the airport will be completed by 2029.
The Dubai-based engineering firm Sidara is handling the design in collaboration with the architectural firm Zaha Hadid Architects.
The airport will be located near the town of Bishoftu in Ethiopia. That is approximately 40,23 kilometres from the country’s capital, Addis Ababa. Markedly, the new airport will feature a four-runway configuration and a state-of-the-art terminal.
Addis Ababa Bole Airport is currently the main airport in Ethiopia. It is located at a height of 2 334 metres, making it one of the highest airports in the world.
Top 10 biggest airports in the world
Following are the current biggest airports in the world based on land area:
- King Fahd International, Dammam, Saudi Arabia – 776 km²
- Denver International, Denver, US – 135.7 km²
- Dallas / Fort Worth International, Dallas, US – 69.6 km²
- Orlando International, Orlando, US – 53.8 km²
- Washington Dulles International, Washington DC, US – 48.6 km²
- Beijing Daxing International, Beijing, China – 46.6 km²
- George Bush Intercontinental, Houston, US – 44.5 km²
- Shanghai Pudong International, Shanghai, China – 39.9 km²
- Cairo International, Cairo, Egypt – 36.3 km²
- Suvarnabhumi International, Bangkok, Thailand – 32.4 km²
King Fahd International Airport’s facilities include an onsite mosque capable of accommodating up to 2 000 people at a time, a residential community that can support up to 3 000 people, and also onsite greenhouses that supply the plant materials for the site’s landscaping.
Surprisingly in terms of passenger traffic, the airport hosts only about 9,7 million passengers annually, placing it well outside the top 100 in the world in terms of traffic.
It is highly likely that the new airport will strengthen Ethiopian Airlines’ position as a leading airline in Africa and also raise Ethiopia’s profile on the global stage.
Have you been to any of the world’s biggest airports?
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