Kuwait makes headway on major airport upgrades: Kuwait has completed construction on its new air cargo city at Kuwait International Airport as part of its larger expansion project, head of Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) Daji Al Otaibi told the Kuwait-based news outlet Alseyassah. The cargo city boasts a capacity to accommodate more than 77 cargo carriers, Otaibi said. Work was also completed on a third runway and a new control tower at the airport — both now ready for operation.

Part of bigger plans: The cargo city is part of an airport development project with multiple components and phases. Dubai-based engineering consultancy Dar Al Handasah nabbed the five-year contract with Kuwait’s DGCA to supervise construction and design for several facilities in the development project back in June. The developments are scheduled to be inaugurated by 4Q 2026, Al Otaibi adds.

SOUNDS FAMILIAR? We first heard of the air cargo city project back in 2023 when Kuwait planned to launch a limited international tender for its building and operation. The investment ticket for the cargo city was not disclosed.

A boon for Kuwaiti aviation: The developments are set to expand the airport’s handling capacity and aim to bolster Kuwait’s aviation sector to make up 25% of the country’s national income within the next ten years.

Other related moves: Kuwait’s Civil Aviation Authority also inked an agreement with German company Leonardoto to carry out three projects at Kuwait International Airport last year. The projects, with a combined cost of USD 26 mn, involve providing training, warranty, maintenance, and technical support services at the airport.

IN OTHER AVIATION NEWS FROM KUWAIT-

Things aren’t looking so good for Kuwait Airways: State-owned Kuwait Airways does not expect to generate solid net income for at least another two years due to losses accumulated during the pandemic, chairman Abdulmoshen Alfagaan told Alseyassah. The carrier aims to cap spending and grow revenues from its new services, he added, without providing further details.

Expansion plans ahead: The airline operates 23 aircraft at present and aims to add seven additional carriers by the end of the year — with forecasts to receive three to four new aircraft before the summer, Alfagaan added. The new carriers will support the launch of new service routes, including Russia’s Moscow, Malaysia’s Kuala Lumpur, and Luxor and Alexandria in Egypt.

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