Towards the rental of non-operated businesses at terminals 1 and West. Acceleration of work to build duty-free shops.
The movement of passengers at Algiers Houari Boumediène International Airport recorded a strong increase in 2022 to 6.3 million travelers, against 2.1 million the year before, Mohamed Salah Kaouach said on Sunday. Chairman and CEO of the Algiers Airport Services and Infrastructure Management Company (SGSIA). In an interview with APS, Mr. Kaouach specified that, following the lifting of the health restrictions imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic which had plagued air traffic, it experienced a strong recovery in 2022. up nearly 200% in 2022 compared to 2021.
Thus, the number of travelers during the past year represents 81% of that recorded before the pandemic, according to data from the first manager of Algiers airport, who predicts that “the level of activity before Covid-19 will be reached during the year 2023”. Asked, moreover, about the projects planned in air freight at the level of the airport enclosure, Mr. Kaouach announced a project for a freight zone (or cargo village) in parallel with another operation to redevelop the existing zone with a capacity of 25,000 tonnes/year, the study of which is in progress.
The “cargo village” project, which should extend over an area of 61 hectares and is intended in particular to help boost national exports, is “in the diagnostic phase of the land base”, he added. For Mr. Kaouach, who took up his post in November 2022, the priority is to set up a new mode of airport management according to international standards, while giving new life to the infrastructure so that it meets the requirements of development of expected air traffic.
Asked about the results recorded by the company in the wake of the strong recovery in activity in 2022, its CEO announced a turnover up by more than 100% compared to that recorded in 2021 at 7.8 billion dinars. “This turnover marks an increase of 109% compared to that of 2021. On the other hand, it is around 82% compared to that of 2019” , he detailed.
As for investments in infrastructure, they have experienced “appreciable levels”, underlines the same manager, who reports a financial envelope of one billion dinars devoted in 2022. These operations concerned the renewal of terminal 1 equipment and the acquisition of new equipment equipped with the latest technologies. In 2019, Algiers International Airport benefited from a new terminal with an area of 200,000 m2, equipped with 120 check-in platforms, 12 baggage belts, 54 elevators, 37 escalators, 9 conveyor belts and 21 walkways . This terminal also has 42 aircraft parking stands, two Airbus A380 jumbo jet stations, as well as dozens of commercial and service premises, in addition to a 4,200-space car park with an automatic pay system.
Preparations for the summer
Currently, the company is launching calls for tenders for the allocation and rental of unused commercial premises at terminals 1 and West, in parallel with the acceleration of work to build duty-free shops on the West terminal, according to its CEO, for whom “only the exchange authorization from the Bank of Algeria remains”. In addition, and in anticipation of the summer season, the SGSIA is fine-tuning preparations for the implementation of new means capable of ensuring passenger comfort, as well as the maintenance of existing equipment in the airport which accommodates around twenty Airlines companies.
According to Mr. Kaouach, it is expected, during this summer period, “a significant flow of passengers” , taking into account the statistical data of the first months of 2023, on the one hand, on the other hand, this period will coincide with the hajj and the Arab Sports Games that Algeria will host from July 5 to 15.
In this same context, and for better fluidity in the processing of passengers, the SGSIA has been working in recent weeks to prepare access to the terminals, including the recent commissioning of the drop-off area and the transfer of international airlines to the terminal dedicated to them.
For this, underlines the same official, the coordination between the various services and operators who intervene at the level of the airport “is essential”, adding that periodic meetings of facilitation are held between the managing company, the security services and the Customs. in particular, with a view to ironing out obstacles and ensuring that all their grievances are dealt with.
