Qatar’s Hamad International Airport to boost capacity by 20%

Doha’s Hamad International Airport, the second busiest in the region, plans to increase its annual capacity by nearly 20% using the existing infrastructure.

The strategy outlined by Chief Operating Office Hamad Al-Khater contrasts with its rival Dubai International Airport, which is spending $35 billion on a new terminal to handle 260 million passengers.

“We believe we can even fit 75 to 77 million passengers within the current footprint of the airport,” Al-Khater told Bloomberg. “It needs a lot of work, a lot of optimization, but that is our primary goal.”

Last year, Doha’s airport handled some 53 million passengers, making it the tenth busiest airport in the world by international traffic, ahead of Bangkok, Madrid and Munich.

Egypt to open 11 key airports to private sector investment

Egypt is preparing to open up the operations of 11 major airports to private investment, aiming to modernize the country’s aviation infrastructure and reach its goal of attracting 30 million tourists annually.

Backed by the World Bank’s International Finance Corp., the plan focuses on boosting efficiency and service standards while keeping state ownership intact.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi reviewed the strategy over the weekend, endorsing a timeline that begins with offering Hurghada airport on the Red Sea to the private sector by the end of 2025.

The initiative is set to be finalized next summer.

DXV flying taxi hub gets Dubai nod to set up near DXB airport

First came DXB, the world’s busiest airport for international travelers.

Now, there’s DXV, the first commercial hub for flying taxis in the UAE.

Dubai authorities on Thursday approved the establishment of Dubai International Vertiport – based adjacent to Dubai International Airport – setting operations to begin in 2026.

The UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority, meanwhile, said the total number of drones registered in the country is 23,960 – with 93 companies and 270 individuals having applied so far for permission to fly.