Ethiopian Airlines, Dar to Build Mega Airport City

DALLAS — Ethiopian Airlines Group (EAG) has signed a technical advisory and consultancy contract with Dar Al-Handasah Consultants to design and supervise a new Mega Airport City in Bishoftu, Ethiopia.

Highlights of the project include:

1. Location: 40km from Addis Ababa Bole International Airport (ADD)
2. Capacity: 110 million passengers annually upon completion (4x current capacity)
3. First phase completion: 2029, with 60 million passenger capacity
4. Features:
   1. 1.1 million sqm terminal
   2. 126,190 sqm airline support facilities
   3. 100,000+ sqm cargo and airport support facilities
5. Lower elevation than ADD, addressing operational challenges
6. Design to incorporate Ethiopian heritage elements
7. Focus on sustainability, resilience, and future-readiness

Comments from Airline, Dar Officials

Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Mesfin Tasew emphasized the project's role in establishing Ethiopia as a global aviation hub, driving economic growth, and prioritizing environmental responsibility.

Dar's Director of Operations in Ethiopia, Tariq Al-Qanni, highlighted the airport's potential to provide global air connectivity and boost Ethiopian Airlines' (ET) competitiveness in African aviation.

According to the airline release, the project aims to position Ethiopia as Africa's leading global gateway and significantly advance the region's air travel infrastructure.

Ethiopia's aviation industry is off-limits to foreign investment and is safeguarded by the government. ET, the country's flag carrier, and Ethiopia Airports Enterprise (EAE), which runs more than 20 airports, are both run by the state-owned EAG.

In addition, EAG holds a monopoly on a number of aviation services, such as catering, ground handling, cargo, maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO), and aviation training.