MIA invest Lm40 million
Malta International Airport is set to invest some Lm40 million over the next 20 years to ensure that the airport will be able to meet both aircraft and passenger increases. In an interview carried today, MIA Head of Technical Services Charles Abela said that some projects were already going ahead, such as increasing the luggage conveyors in both the departure and arrivals lounge, as well as an increase in check-in booths. Mr Abela explained that airports are “living beings”, saying that one needed to keep up with forecast demand for the future. “You cannot simply wake up one day and decide that an airport has reached capacity and needs to be upgraded. It must be a continual evolving process, which is why we drafted a master plan for 20 years,” he said. MIA is also planning development of the airfield to increase accessibility to further flung aircraft parking areas as well as resurfacing of the actual main runway. However, the biggest area for development is the taxiway runway threshold turning circle. This is to be extended to allow for two holding areas which will almost double runway capacity. At present, the turning circle can only accommodate one aircraft. “But if we increase that to three holding bays, we would practically be doubling our capacity as we could send three aircraft down the taxiway so as to take off within minutes of each other,” explained Mr Abela.
Malta International Airport is set to invest some Lm40 million over the next 20 years to ensure that the airport will be able to meet both aircraft and passenger increases. In an interview carried today, MIA Head of Technical Services Charles Abela said that some projects were already going ahead, such as increasing the luggage conveyors in both the departure and arrivals lounge, as well as an increase in check-in booths. Mr Abela explained that airports are “living beings”, saying that one needed to keep up with forecast demand for the future. “You cannot simply wake up one day and decide that an airport has reached capacity and needs to be upgraded. It must be a continual evolving process, which is why we drafted a master plan for 20 years,” he said. MIA is also planning development of the airfield to increase accessibility to further flung aircraft parking areas as well as resurfacing of the actual main runway. However, the biggest area for development is the taxiway runway threshold turning circle. This is to be extended to allow for two holding areas which will almost double runway capacity. At present, the turning circle can only accommodate one aircraft. “But if we increase that to three holding bays, we would practically be doubling our capacity as we could send three aircraft down the taxiway so as to take off within minutes of each other,” explained Mr Abela.