DALLAS — Ethiopian Airlines Group (EAG) has signed a technical consultancy agreement with Dar Al-Handasah Consultants to design and oversee a new Mega Airport City in Bishoftu, Ethiopia.
Highlights of the project include:
- Location: 40 km from Addis Ababa Bole International Airport (ADD)
- Capacity: 110 million passengers annually after completion (4x current capacity)
- Completion of the first phase: 2029, with a capacity of 60 million passengers
- Features:
- 1.1 million square meter terminal
- 126,190 m² airline support facilities
- Over 100,000 m² of cargo and airport support facilities
- Lower than ADD to address operational challenges
- Design with Ethiopian cultural elements
- Focus on sustainability, resilience and future viability
Comments from airlines and Dar representatives
Mesfin Tasew, CEO of Ethiopian Airlines Group, highlighted the project’s role in establishing Ethiopia as a global aviation hub, promoting economic growth and prioritizing environmental responsibility.
Tariq Al-Qanni, Operations Manager of Dar in Ethiopia, highlighted the airport’s potential to provide global air connectivity and increase Ethiopian Airlines’ (ET) competitiveness in African aviation.
According to the airline’s press release, the project aims to position Ethiopia as Africa’s leading global gateway and significantly advance the region’s aviation infrastructure.
Ethiopia’s aviation industry is off-limits to foreign investment and is under state protection. ET, the country’s national airline, and Ethiopia Airports Enterprise (EAE), which operates more than 20 airports, are both run by the state-owned EAG.
In addition, EAG has a monopoly on a range of aviation services such as catering, ground handling, cargo, maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) and flight training.
