Latest news with #travelhub
Jordan Times
11-08-2025
- Business
- Jordan Times
African Development Bank offers $500m for Ethiopia mega airport
ADDIS ABABA — The African Development Bank (AfDB) said Monday it will contribute $500 million to the construction of an airport near the Ethiopian capital expected to become the continent's largest. The massive travel hub in Bishoftu, roughly 45 kilometres (28 miles) south of the capital Addis Ababa, will cost an estimated $10 billion and be able to handle some 110 million passengers a year at full capacity, the AfDB said. Egypt's Cairo International Airport took the title of Africa's busiest in 2024, followed by Johannesburg's O.R. Tambo in South Africa, according to the Official Aviation Guide. Partly financed by national carrier Ethiopian Airlines, the Bishoftu hub is expected to replace the capital's Bole Airport, which can handle up to 25 million passengers annually. Construction is scheduled to begin at the end of 2025. "The Bank has itself earmarked up to $500 million, subject to Board approval, to anchor the funding," the AfDB said. In a statement, it described the airport as a "transformational regional integration project" that would enhance "continental integration and connectivity". State-owned Ethiopian Airlines is Africa's largest airline, with revenues of $7.6 billion for the 2024/25 fiscal year. Founded in 1964, the AfDB is one of the world's largest multilateral development banks. It is funded by member subscriptions, loans raised on global markets as well as repayments and income from loans.
Daily Mail
10-07-2025
- Daily Mail
Britain's worst airport revealed - and over 100,000 passengers travel through it per day
Gatwick Airport is the UK travel hub where travellers are most likely to experience a flight delay this summer, according to new research. The UK's second busiest airport, which saw 43 million people jet away from it last year and has 100,000 passengers a day, fared the worst in a global ranking of 250 terminals, coming in at a lowly 235th. The latest travel report from passenger rights experts AirHelp, which assessed airports in 68 countries, rated each airport out of 10 in categories including on-time performance, customer feedback and quality of food and shops. In what is likely to be painful reading for Brits heading abroad in the peak holiday season, Heathrow, the nation's biggest and busiest airport, also scored dismally in the list - landing in 178th place. There was more positive news for two other UK hubs though, with Liverpool John Lennon Airport recognised as the country's best-performing airport, and ranking at an impressive 35th. And one London airport did flourish, with London City also performing well and ranking a respectable 56th place in the list. Leeds Bradford was in the bottom half in 132nd place, with Birmingham in 214th and Manchester - which had 30 million passengers in 2024 - in 220th place. So, which airports took the top spots? Cape Town International Airport in South Africa was listed at number one. The West Sussex international hub saw 43 million people transit through it in 2024 - but the Airport Score says it's the UK airport where travellers are most likely to experience delays The airport is smaller than its UK counterparts but growing, with 3 million two-way international passengers recorded in 2024. In second and third place were two Middle East hubs, both of which have had millions of pounds of investment in them. Doha's futuristic Hamad International Airport, which was named the World's Best Airport at the Skytrax World Airport Awards 2024, came second. And Riyadh King Khaled Airport in Saudi Arabia took the third spot based on AirHelp's criteria. Tomasz Pawliszyn, CEO of the brand, which has been publishing the Airport Score since 2015, said: 'As millions of people prepare for their summer holidays, our data offers a clear picture of where travellers are most - and least - likely to face delays. 'While it's great to see airports like Liverpool and London City performing well, others continue to fall short on key passenger expectations like punctuality and amenities.' Meanwhile, holidaymakers jetting off on their summer breaks could be paying almost £200 for airport parking for just a four-day stay. And the new data reveals that short-stay parking is almost 90 per cent more expensive in England than in Scotland. But there is an alternative that few realise works out cheaper, according to research from price comparison website – which says people are overpaying by not comparing their options. As millions of Britons prepare to head abroad for sunshine-filled breaks, many will be forking out to leave their car close to the terminals – with an average cost of £93.90 for four days in a short-stay car park. Four days in a long-stay option sees an average bill of £59. The most expensive parking was found at London City Airport, costing an eye-watering £189 for less than a week. However, a London City Airport spokesperson said that only 10 per cent of their passengers use a private car, and 'those that do use our car park enjoy being able to walk to our terminal from any area in a matter of minutes'. Prices were the lowest offered on the websites of UK airports across four dates, with two periods in August and two in October, covering a mixture of peak and off-peak, as well as weekends and weekdays.
Forbes
05-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
As Dubai Duty Free Tops $1 billion In First Half, What's Next?
Large new arrivals stores have boosted sales for Dubai Duty Free. Refurbishments and retail expansions by Dubai Duty Free (DDF) at Dubai Airport—the busiest international airport in the world—have paid off as the retailer generated record half-year sales reaching 4,118 billion UAE Dirhams ($1.13 billion), up by 5.3% year-over-year. The craze for Dubai chocolate was also a big factor with 2.5 million bars sold in the six months to June, pushing its share of the confectionery category up to a whopping 40%. The world's biggest airport retailer operating in a single country, added about $57 million to last year's half-year result with much of that extra revenue coming from a surge in travel over the Eid holidays (at the end of March and the beginning of June) and some early summer getaways at the airport. The airport retailer saw 'robust growth' in April, May and the first half of June. DDF's managing director, Ramesh Cidambi, said in a statement: 'While we await the final passenger numbers for June 2025, the spend per passenger is likely to be better than last year June. This performance is a testament to our team's hard work and the strength of Dubai as a global travel hub.' Among the major leaps forward have been the successful renovation of three arrivals shops in the first half of the year which will help deliver extra sales. For example, in May these stores across all three terminals at the airport posted a combined growth of 6.3% following the completion of refurbishments. Second-half optimism—with caveats DDF is now gearing up for a busy summer at Dubai International (DXB). Around 3.4 million passengers are expected to travel through the airport between June 27 and July 9 alone—the start of the season—with daily volumes forecast to average over 265,000. Cidambi cautioned on summer spending because, while volumes rise, this doesn't always translate into spending. In an interview with Dubai One TV, he said: 'Summer can be complicated. You get a lot of passengers, but not necessarily as much spend: a family of four will not spend the same as four individuals.' Ramesh Cidambi: 'Summer can be complicated. You get a lot of passengers, but not necessarily as much ... More spend: a family of four will not spend the same as four individuals.' State-owned operator, Dubai Airports, noted, however, that in June 'the wider regional situation' referring to the Israel-Iran 12-day war, had led to some delays and cancellations across the network. U.S. sanctions on Iran have followed the ceasefire on June 24, and the region remains febrile, which could cast a shadow across DDF's second-half ambitions. Dubai Airports said: 'DXB continues to monitor the situation in close coordination with authorities and airline partners, prioritizing the safety of all guests and employees on the ground and through to take-off.' DDF has some cards up its sleeve in the form of three luxury boutiques opening in Terminal 3 (Concourse A)—the constantly innovating Louis Vuitton, Chanel, and Cartier—which are hoped will help spike sales. Cidambi said: 'We are looking forward to an equally busy second half.' In the first six months of 2025, spending across all of DXB's terminals continued to increase. Duty-free sales in T3 increasing by 6.4%, and by 5.3% in T1. All key passenger regions showed positive sales during the period, with Europe up 16.9%, Russia up 4.4%, the Middle East up 8.2%, with the Indian-sub continent trailing at 1%. Transition times beckon in Dubai DDF operates at both Dubai International, where the vast bulk of DDF's revenues come from, and at Al Maktoum International, the United Arab Emirates' eventual five-runway airport where all of Dubai's airport traffic will transfer by 2034. At that point DXB will close to passenger traffic. In 2024, DXB welcomed a total of 92.3 million passengers, the highest annual traffic in its history. Al Maktoum, also called Dubai World Central, is shaping up to be an even bigger successor of its sister gateway and is now being expanded thanks to an investment injection of $35 billion, announced in May last year. For now, DWC primarily serves cargo, charter, and seasonal flights, along with private aviation. Its passenger operations are limited, with just over one million passengers processed last year, which was about double that in 2023, mostly via low-cost carriers. According to Dubai Airports, over 700,000 of the 2024 numbers were Russians who are traditional high spenders in duty-free. Those annual numbers will ramp up quickly in the coming decade and DDF will play a central role in shaping the retail landscape of the mega-hub, which has a projected capacity of 260 million passengers annually on final completion. For more stories on Dubai Duty Free, follow this link.
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
New images show how a corner of Prestwich village is being transformed
New images show how a £14m 'travel hub' serving the centre of Prestwich is progressing. The multi-storey travel hub has been under construction at the former Fairfax Road surface level car park for the past four months. The hub is the first significant project ahead of an ambitious £100m regeneration of Prestwich village centre. The closure of the Fairfax Road car park means 168 spaces car parking spaces were lost in the town during the work. Bury Council said the state-of-the-art hub is not only a vital piece of infrastructure, but also a key enabler for unlocking the delivery of future phases of the scheme. The new travel hub is being funded by the government's City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) to support the delivery of the Bee Network, Greater Manchester's ambition for a joined-up travel network. READ MORE: "Get the kids out!" Moment naked man attacks driver at roundabout as terrified children watch READ MORE: 'As soon as they see me standing there they cancel and drive off' Coun Eamonn O'Brien, leader of Bury Council, visited the construction site to witness the progress first-hand. He was joined by members of council development partners Muse and the Vinci Construction team for an on-site tour. Site preparation, ground clearance and piling works are all already complete, as are the Vinci site offices and welfare compound. Drainage works are ongoing and works to create the foundations for the new building are ahead of schedule, with the first and second concrete pour now finished. In August, installation of the steel building frame will begin. The council said the construction method has been developed to limit disruption to neighbours and residents by ensuring work is carried out as quietly and swiftly as the structure is in place, cladding and masonry will be installed, followed by internal fit-out works. The travel hub is expected to be fully completed by the end of July 2026. When open it will have 301 spaces, electric vehicle charging points, cycle storage, and car club vehicles. Later phases of the plans to reboot the village centre include 'creating a thriving destination for shopping, dining and community events'. Coun O'Brien said: 'It's incredibly exciting to see the first phase of this transformation now underway, especially knowing that it marks just the beginning of what's to come. Our vision is to create a vibrant, sustainable village centre that serves the whole community. 'Following completion of the new travel hub, the next phase will see the Longfield Centre transformed into a modern, multifunctional village centre hat meets evolving needs – featuring a new library, high-quality retail units, a new market, versatile community spaces, attractive green public areas, and new homes.' Hugh Taylor, senior project manager at Muse said: 'The transformation of the Longfield Centre will create a vibrant new heart for Prestwich, a welcoming space where the community can come together to meet, socialise, and enjoy village life. 'We're making great progress on the travel hub, which marks just the beginning.'
Zawya
30-06-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Sharjah Airport anticipates 800,000 summer passengers
Sharjah Airport has announced its full readiness to handle the significant increase in travel volume to and from Sharjah during the peak summer season. The airport is set to welcome over 800,000 passengers from July 1 to 15, 2025, as part of a comprehensive plan to provide a distinguished and seamless travel experience for all passengers, reported WAM. Sharjah Airport Authority (SAA) has outlined a series of operational measures in coordination with strategic partners to ensure the highest levels of efficiency and comfort. Efforts are being intensified around the clock by working teams and customer service staff to provide necessary support, respond to passenger inquiries, and guide them in using the airport's smart services and innovative technologies with ease. This ensures a smooth and integrated travel experience. In this context, the authority continues to enhance all logistical and health aspects, while updating security procedures to keep pace with the rapid developments in the aviation sector. Sharjah Airport urges passengers to arrive at the airport three hours before their flight to avoid any potential delays in completing travel procedures. Passengers are also advised to communicate with their airlines in advance to verify flight times and any updates. The SAA reaffirms its commitment to providing the highest levels of service during peak periods, adhering to the highest safety standards, further reinforcing Sharjah Airport's position as a preferred travel hub and a key player in regional and international travel.
