Cairo International Airport
Cairo International Airport is Egypts main airport, located in the capital of Cairo. It is also the main location for EgyptAir, the national airline. The airport is located about 15 km north-east of the busiest area of Cairo.
The airport is managed and administered by the Egyptian Holding Co. for Airports and Air Navigation (EHCAAN). Besides Cairo International Airport, the EHCAAN also manages four other companies including Cairo Airport Co., Egyptian Airports Co., National Air Navigation Services and Aviation Information Technology, and the Cairo Airport Authority (CAA).
Cairo Airport is the 2nd busiest airport in the continent of Africa, right after South Africas Tambo International Airport. EgyptAir is the largest airline operator at the airport, though there are over 65 other airlines that use the airport including charters, as well as 9 cargo airlines.
Serving over 16.1 million passengers in 2010, according to some statistics, Cairo International Airport is quite busy and has recently expanded to be 3 terminals. Terminals 1 & 2 are the oldest, with terminal 3 being the newest and largest, having been opened with a bang on April 27, 2009, that included over 2,000 guests and an open-air concert.
Terminal 1 was originally a United States Air Force airport called Payne Airfield, built so as not to overtake the Almaza Airport only a few kilometers away. This airfield was a major stop in the middle of many important routes, both for passengers and cargo. At the end of World War II, the Americans left, and the Civil Aviation Authority took over the airport. In 1963, the airport, now known as Cairo International Airport, replaced Heliopolis Airport with a total of 4 halls. Hall 4 is used for private and executive jet services. Currently, all non-Star Alliance airlines that serve the airport fly in and out of Terminal 1.
Terminal 2 was opened in 1986 with 7 gates for boarding. Close in April 2010 for renovations, the terminal is due to open in 2014 after 36 month from the 2011 start date of renovations, estimated to cost $400 million. After renovations are complete, the capacity of the terminal is expected to more than double, serving around 7.5 million visitors per year with the addition of 7 more gates, bringing the total to 14.
Terminal 3s construction began in 2004, with its inauguration being on December 18, 2008, and opening for flights on April 27, 2009. As the largest terminal of the 2, it is about double the size of Terminals 1 & 2 put together, and is able to serve nearly 11 million visitors yearly, with 5 million of those being domestic passengers.
Last Updated: May 12th, 2011