Ethiopian Airlines on Saturday started construction on the planned Bishoftu International Airport, which officials say will be the biggest airport in Africa once completed.
The airport will be located near the city of Bishoftu in central Ethiopia. It will serve as the nation’s main international gateway, while Addis Ababa Bole International Airport – currently the country’s largest – will prioritize domestic flights.
State-owned Ethiopian is managing the development and operation of the airport, which is intended to relieve congestion at Addis Ababa. The project will cost an estimated $12.5 billion, according to Reuters.
Phase one of construction at Bishoftu is expected to be completed by 2030, Ethiopian Airlines officials said. At that stage, the facility will be able to accommodate 60 million passengers annually, surpassing Cairo International Airport in Egypt and O. R. Tambo International Airport in South Africa, currently Africa’s busiest airports.
When fully completed, Bishoftu’s capacity will grow to 110 million.
“As we celebrate 80 years of service, this project stands as yet another milestone, underscoring our commitment to shaping the future of the African air transport industry, while supporting the growing demand for our passenger and cargo services,” Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Mesfin Tasew said in a news release.
Ethiopian Airlines is the largest airline in Africa by passenger volume.
