Ethiopia is set to construct the largest international airport on the African continent. The national carrier, Ethiopian Airlines, has signed an agreement with the consulting group DAR to move forward with the project. The airport is expected to be completed by 2029.
“The first phase of the project alone will cost at least $6 billion,” said Mesfin Tasew, CEO of Ethiopian Airlines.
The new airport, spanning 35 square kilometers, will be located in the city of Bishoftu, approximately 45 kilometers from the capital, Addis Ababa. The design will be undertaken by Sidara, an engineering consulting firm based in Dubai. The airport is planned to feature ultra-modern design elements.
With four runways and a capacity to accommodate 270 aircraft, the hub will be able to handle up to 100 million passengers annually.
While plans for the new airport were first announced in 2018, progress has been slow, partly due to the pandemic.
The completion of this project is expected to propel Ethiopian Airlines into the ranks of the top 10 airlines globally, according to DAR Group CEO Tarek Al-Kanni.
Last year, Ethiopian Airlines transported 17 million passengers. The current Addis Ababa Bole Airport has a capacity of 25 million passengers annually.
