King inaugurates new QAIA terminal
His Majesty King Abdulla II inaugurated in the presence of Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah the new QAIA terminal, which is considered one of the most important air transport gateways in the region, supporting the Kingdom’s economic, tourism and trade growth.
The project was carried out by Airport International Group, a consortium comprising several international, regional and local investors. The project is a prime example of successful public private partnerships with a 25-year Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) concession and an estimated USD 750 million investment, with the Government of Jordan retaining the ownership of the Airport and receiving around 54.47% of gross revenues for the term of the agreement (25 years).
The new terminal, offering around 20,000 direct and indirect job opportunities, has been classified by the IFC as one of the 40 best PPP projects in emerging markets. The Minister of Transport and Energy and Mineral Reproducers Eng. Alaa Batayneh stated that the new terminal is one of the many accomplishments that are being implemented under Jordan’s ambitious development plans.
In his speech at the official opening, attended by Prime Minister Abdullah Nsoor and a number of high level officials, he confirmed that the new terminal is part of Jordan’s plans to develop the aviation sector and place foundations for civil aviation as a necessary means for growth. He added “Your Majesty’s presence here today to open the new terminal at Queen Alia International Airport stands as a testament to the progress this country had made with regards to its development plans in a manner that directly benefits Jordanian citizens.”
Eng Bataineh also added: “The 3.5 million passenger per year capacity of the old terminal has already been exceeded. The old terminal can no longer meet increasing worldwide demands for air passenger traffic.”
He confirmed that over the past five years, the traffic at Queen Alia International Airport has witnessed remarkable growth. When comparing figures from 2006 to figures from 2012, Jordan is now directly connected to 61 stations across the world, compared to a previous 40 stations. The number of daily flights has risen to 180 flights in comparison to a previous 110 flights per. Total passengers in also rose to over 6 million.
He also explained that the new terminal was built on over 105,000 square meters from the original 62,000 square meters, blending Islamic architecture with the latest technology and equipment to provide a faster and more efficient flow for travelers whilst also maintaining the highest safety and security standards without having a direct impact on passenger’s schedules.
He also indicated that one of the most significant improvements that were made to the new terminal is the complete separation between arrivals and departures. In line with international standards that require one gate for each half a million passengers, the new terminal will operate eight new gates and one remote boarding lounge serving different flights simultaneously, with phase two to follow with four new gates, resulting in a total of twenty five gates.
He confirmed that the new terminal, with its advanced features and contemporary management will provide the state’s treasury with revenues that far exceed previous revenues. The government’s share of revenues is at a percentage that is amongst the highest in the world for such projects. In addition, over 93 percent of the sub-investments that have been made at the airport belonged to Jordanian investors.
In turn, Chairman of AIG, Nazem Al Kudsi, stated that the socio-economic approach of the Jordanian state has been characterized by flexibility and continuous development, based on partnership and integration between the public and private sectors, which has been the driving force behind the unique Jordanian investment landscape, providing a myriad of attractive features that are hard to find anywhere else.
