Airports

Since 2002, the Egyptian aviation sector has been undergoing a through overhaul, including the creation of a new Ministry of Civil Aviation. In addition, Egypt Air, which dominates the aviation sector, has become a holding company with six affiliates, and has undertaken a reshuffling of top-level management.

In March 2001, a comprehensive plan for airport modernization and development was initiated so as to accommodate the projected rise in tourist numbers.

The $235 million program, projected to last for three years, involves the upgrade and expansion of four international airports in the south and east. A further $51 million was earmarked for a two-phase scheme to set up an operational database system in Cairo and a central control centre that would link six regional airports to the capital.

Another $350 million-400 million project aims to build a third terminal for Cairo international airport.

The new terminal will consist of three runways, two arrival and departure halls, and a transit hall and is projected to enlarge Cairo International Airport's capacity by 11 million passengers, to a total of 20 million passengers a year.

The government also announced a US$2bn, four-year program aiming to upgrade 16 of its 19 airports and to build seven new airports on a BOT basis.