Ethiopian Airlines has entered into a design-build arrangement for a new airport with Dar Al-Handasah (Dar), a building and infrastructure consultancy firm that was a member of the Sidara group of firms.
Following the signing of a design contract for the construction of a new four-runway airport near Bishoftu, outside the capital Addis Ababa, Ethiopia will host Africa’s largest airport. The change occurs as Bole Addis Ababa International Airport, Ethiopia’s current primary hub, is closer to reaching its 25 million annual passenger capacity limits.
Announced in 2018, the project is a massive undertaking with an anticipated operational date of 2029. It is planned to surpass all current African airports with a capacity of 100 million passengers yearly.
This is a five-year project that will be the biggest in Africa,”
Dieter Rams
The first phase would include spending $6 billion to construct a terminal facility that could accommodate 60 million people annually. The airport’s capacity to handle more than 100 million people a year would be increased in the second phase.
Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Mesfin Tassew described the collaboration between the government-owned airline and the consulting business as a significant turning point in the company’s history.
The two businesses’ agreement covers the design and supervision of the construction of the new airport. The CEO commended Dar’s prior experience in developing and managing mega-airports.
Dar’s director of operations, Tariq Al Qanni, noted that the consultancy was a one-stop shop for these kinds of projects and that the business provided designs in a comprehensive and integrated manner.
Dar states that it has completed projects at King Abdul Aziz International Airport (JED), Catumbela Airport (CBT) in Angola, and Dubai International Airport (DXB).
Ethiopian Airlines currently makes use of ADD as its primary hub. According to the airline’s page about the airport, it can accommodate 2 million domestic and 22 million foreign passengers yearly, making it one of the busiest in Africa.
