New terminal at Jordan’s Queen Alia airport to open March 21
Published: 04/03/2013 - Filed under: News »
Jordan’s Queen Alia International Airport (QAIA) will open its new terminal on March 21, a move that is expected to almost triple the airport’s capacity.
The Foster and Partners designed terminal is 103,000 sqm and has cost an estimated US$750 million, and should increase capacity to nearly nine million passengers per year.
Queen Alia is located 20 miles south of the capital Amman and is Jordan’s largest airport. There are currently 44 airlines flying from QAIA with 1,220 flights per week, including a three times-weekly Easyjet service from London Gatwick, and daily Heathrow services from fellow Oneworld members British Airways and Royal Jordanian.
Construction started in 2008 and the striking Bedouin tent inspired design concept is outlined on the Foster and Partners website: “The tessellated roof canopy comprises a series of shallow concrete domes, which extend to shade the facades. To enable seamless future expansion, each dome is a modular unit. The domes branch out from the supporting columns like the leaves of a desert palm and daylight floods the concourse through split beams at the column junctions.”
The Airport International Group, which financed and manages the new terminal, has invested an additional US$100 million on upgrading the existing terminals, including increasing the size of check-in areas and refurbishing the retail and dining outlets. Upgrades to the baggage handling system and security areas will also be made in the near future.
Royal Jordanian began operating flights to Athens, Doha and Sharm el Sheikh from the new terminal on Sunday March 3, as it prepares for a full transfer of operations on March 21.
Accordingly, the national carrier has asked passengers departing to Athens, Doha and Sharm el Sheikh to go directly to the new terminal and follow the new signs to complete the usual travel procedures.
For more information visit aig.aero
Report by Scott Carey
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asfairbairn - 04/03/2013 15:47
it doesnt look very big...
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