Ethiopian Airlines Group has announced plans to build Africa’s largest airport at Abusera, which will form a key part of Ethiopia’s 15-year strategic plan to make it one of the most competitive aviation groups in the world.
The airport’s location supports gradual expansion, allowing airlines to meet IATA’s forecast of more than 200% growth over the next decade and outpace the existing Bole International Airport, which has no significant expansion potential. Abusera’s lower altitude will improve aircraft takeoff performance, while a fast rail link to Addis Ababa will improve accessibility.
The first phase of the project, scheduled for completion in 2029, will enable the airport to handle 60 million passengers per year, nearly three times the current busiest airport in Africa, creating thousands of jobs to serve the growing customer base and fleet. Ultimately, the airport will be able to handle 110 million passengers per year – four times the capacity of Bole International Airport.
Mesfin Tasew, Ethiopian’s chief executive, said: “With its exceptional capacity and world-class facilities, this new airport has the potential to elevate the status of Africa’s aviation industry.”
To realize this transformative new project, Ethiopian Airlines awarded the consultancy contract to a consortium led by Dar Al-Handasah Consultants (Shair and Partners) , with members including Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) , Pascall+Watson Architects , Landrum&Brown , and TY Lin .
Dar, TY Lin, and Landrum & Brown are part of Sidara , the world’s number one aviation partnership (Engineering News Record 2023). ZHA has award-winning design capabilities and world-renowned airport project experience, while Pascall+Watson Architects has successfully completed more than 2,000 aviation projects at 70 airports.
Together, the companies will provide technical consultancy, engineering, project management and construction supervision services for 600,000m² of passenger facilities, 126,000m² of airline support facilities, two Class 4E parallel runways and associated airport infrastructure, as well as other key airport facilities and infrastructure.
About Ethiopian Airlines Group
Ethiopian is one of the fastest growing airlines in the world and the largest airline in Africa. With 78 years of success, Ethiopian Airlines operates the most modern fleet in Africa, serving more than 150 destinations across five continents.