Egyptian Aviation Blog: Cairo Airport, A Middle-East-Africa Hub

Cairo International Airport is the busiest airport in Egypt and the primary hub for Star Alliance member Egyptair. The airport is located to the north-east of the city around 15 km from the business area of the city.

Cairo International is the second busiest airport in Africa after OR Tambo International Airport in South Africa. Over 65 airlines use Cairo airport (including charter airlines) and 9 cargo airlines. With the assimilation of Egyptair into Star Alliance in July 2008 the airport has the potential to be a major hub with its positioning between Africa, the Middle East and Europe (especially with facilities for the A380).

In 2008, the airport served 14,360,175 passengers (+14.2% vs. 2007) and handled just over 138,000 aircraft movements (+12.4% vs. 2007). Of the top 100 airports in the world, CAI reported the highest growth rate of any airport in 2008.

The airport has three terminals with a third (and largest) opened on 27 April 2009. A fourth runway is currently under construction (opens late 2010) and a single cargo terminal (new cargo terminal is expected to go into operation in 2011). Runway 05L/23R is 3,300m long, 05C/23C has a length of 4,000m and 16/34 is 3,180m (all of the runways are 60m wide).

Terminal 1

The terminal facilities include Departure Hall 1, International Hall 3, and Hall 4 for Private & Non-commercial Aircraft Services. As part of the recent upgrading and facility improvement scheme, the CAA demolished the old hall 3, previously used for domestic arrivals and departures, to reconstruct a new hall to be used for international arrivals. Terminal 1 is locally known as the "Old Airport," although its facilities were recently given a complete overhaul and are newer than those of Terminal 2, which is still known as the "New Airport."

Terminal 1 is used by several Middle Eastern airlines, and an increasing number of other foreign carriers, such Air France and KLM. Terminal 1 has 12 gates. The bus brings you from the gate to the plane.

A new shopping mall called the 'AirMall' has been built near Terminal 1's New International Arrival Hall 3.

As of 2009 the façade of the terminal was being upgraded. The cladding which includes the landside facades of the terminal, the water tower and CAC's administration buildings. A Study on reorganizing the departure and arrival Halls is ongoing as well as the feasibility study to include a number of contact stands to improve the service and comfort levels to the passengers.

Terminal 2

Terminal 2 was inaugurated in 1986. It serves primarily European and Far Eastern airlines, airlines from the Persian Gulf region, and sub-Saharan Africa.

The architecture of the terminal building limits the possibility of expansion. There is significant congestion when more than 3 flights check in simultaneously, or more than 2 planes arrive at the same time. The terminal itself has 7 boarding gates.

In April 2009 a new exclusive lounge opened in the Departure area of Terminal 2 . The Exclusive lounge is a small world of its own and includes a separate VIP entrance guarantying privacy away from the general public and offers an impressive setting for departures.

In July 2008 the Cairo Airport Company (CAC) said it would allocate $400 million to develop the airport's Terminal 2. The move is meant to increase the terminal capacity from 3 million passengers to 7.5 million annually. The entire terminal's "look & feel" will improve dramatically once the renovation works are completed. Upgrade of Terminal 2 shall include a modernization of the 20 years old facility to reach the same level of service as the new Terminal 3 since both terminals will be operated "under one roof" in the near future.

NACO/ECG were assigned to prepare three different scenarios for Terminal 2’s re-development and the draft report was submitted in April 2008. The detailed design for T2 is ongoing. The project which will take 36 months to complete will double the capacity of T2 to around 7.5 million passengers and double the number of gates from 7 to 14 (and an additional 5 remote stands). It will include larger and more modern retail areas and will also include Airbus A380 gates. Upon completion in 2013 the passengers can expect a highly enhanced modern designed terminal offering international standard service levels and more passengers' convenience to include a large and appealing retail area and lounges.

As an interim measure several carriers operating from the terminal will briefly relocate to Terminal 1 while the terminal is renovated.

Terminal 2 is going to close in 2010.

Terminal 3

Terminal 3 opened for commercial operations on 27 April 2009. The facility is twice as large as the current two terminal buildings combined, with the capacity to handle 11 million passengers annually (6m international & 5m domestic) once the first phase is completed. It is located adjacent to Terminal 2, and the two terminals will initially be connected by a bridge. Access roads have already been redesigned, and the parking lots relocated.

With its hub at the airport EgyptAir's operations were overhauled with the full transfer of its operations (international and domestic) into the state of the art terminal between 27 April and 15 June 2009. To implement the Star Alliance “Move Under One Roof” concept.

All Star Alliance airlines serving Cairo Airport are located at Terminal 3.

The new terminal includes:

Two piers of extendable capacity and gates facilities serving domestic and international traffic, handled through contact and remote. The main building and the piers are connected by concourses. Two of the gates will be equipped to handle the Airbus A380 aircraft. Provisions for a third pier are currently in the planning stages.
Terminal 3 has 23 gates (2 gates for the A380), 6 check-in islands consisting of 110 check-in counters, 76 emigration and immigration counters , 52 contact & remote aircraft parking stands , 7 baggage carousels, 63 elevators, 50 moving walkways and 51 escalators.
Retails space covers over 6,000m².
Land side works including bridges and fly-over serving the traffic to and from the terminal building, surface car park areas (multi-story parking garage capable of holding more than 3,000 cars), a new access road connecting the airport with the Autostrad road (Cairo ring road) and upgrading the access roads.

Other developments

A luxury 350-room five-star Le Meridien hotel is to be built in front the new Terminal 3 for completion in 2011/2012. The hotel will be linked to the terminal by a skyway that is also equipped with moving walkway.
Construction of a new fourth 4,000m runway for completion in late 2010, south of the existing airfield.
The opening of a new 120m 'lotus-shaped' ATC Tower.
Construction of a multi-storey car park located in Terminal 2 for completion in June 2011.
Construction of a automated people mover (APM). The main station will be located between Terminals 2 and 3 and will become an integral part of the bridge connecting the two terminals. The 1.8km track is expected to go into operation by mid-2011 and will link Terminal 1, the Air Mall, the multi-storey car park and Terminals 2 and 3.
Continued upgrade of the landside façade of Terminal 1.
Renovation and expansion of Terminal 2.
The Cairo Cargo City (CCC) will provide state of the art facilities to support the growth in cargo traffic through the airport.
Expanding the Cairo Metro to serve the airport. The new line, which is in an advanced stage of execution, will link the airport at one end, and Mohandessin (in Giza), at the other. It is expected to be operational by 2012.
Development of real estate and the 'Oasis Project' which entails a business park with company headquarters and regional offices.
Nearby commercial and entertainment centers, to be built on 2.8 million square meters of land, will include a theme park, several shopping malls and 18 cinemas, at a total cost of LE950 million.