July 10, 2012 - The air traffic growth at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport has prompted the Ethiopian Airport Enterprise to plan to build a new international airport between Modjo and Meki towns on the Hawassa road, according to the Reporter.
The director general of the Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority, Col. Wossenyeleh Hunegnaw on Thursday said that the Ethiopian Airport Enterprise was conducting a study on the establishment of a new international airport. When the major expansion project of the Addis Ababa Bole International Airport was drafted in the early 1990s, it was assumed that the airport will accommodate air traffic until 2017. However, the airport has reached its maximum capacity in 2010. Hence, the construction of a new international airport seems inevitable. A senior official of the Ethiopian Airport Enterprise told The Reporter that previously the enterprise was conducting a study on a location near Dukem town, some 30 km east of Addis Ababa. However, this was revoked and the enterprise is now contemplating to build the new international airport between Modjo and Meki towns on Hawassa road. The official said the Addis Ababa Bole International Airport will be used for regional flights, VIP flights and for those who are involved in general aviation services (private airlines who provide none schedule flights). The new airport would accommodate long haul international flights. The Addis Ababa Bole International Airport currently accommodates more than 150 flights per day.