Airport International Group commemorates 10th anniversary of QAIA’s terminal building

AMMAN — Celebrating the 10th anniversary since the inauguration of Queen Alia International Airport’s (QAIA) terminal building,  HYPERLINK "about:blank" Airport International Group (AIG) hosted a media roundtable on Tuesday, in the presence of Ministry of Transport Secretary General Wesam Tahtamouni and longstanding media partners from local and regional entities to reflect on the 10-year growth and success of QAIA’s Terminal Building. 

During the roundtable, AIG CEO Nicolas Claude and executive management members shared insights into QAIA’s achievements over the past decade, focusing on enhanced passenger satisfaction, infrastructure improvements, climate protection efforts, local community empowerment and economic contribution, according to an AIG statement. 

After being granted a Build-Operate-Transfer concession agreement by the Government of Jordan in 2007, AIG embarked on “a momentous journey of rehabilitating, expanding and operating Jordan’s prime gateway to the world”, the statement said. 

By March 2013, AIG had financed over $750 million for the construction of the Terminal Building, which was inaugurated by His Majesty King Abdullah. Paying homage to Jordanian heritage, the Terminal Building spanned an area of 112,956 sqm and boasted an enhanced customer experience and upgraded services and facilities capable of accommodating nine million annual passengers, marking a significant boost from the previous 3.5 million annual passenger capacity.

In the same year, QAIA was named one of the world's top 40 public-private partnership (PPP) projects and received “Gold” recognition as Best Emerging Market Infrastructure Project for Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East and North Africa in Emerging Partnerships.

The infrastructure expansion and improvements continued into 2016 when HRH Crown Prince Hussein inaugurated the $225 million second phase of the Terminal Building, which further increased the total area to 160,462 sqm and annual passenger capacity to 12 million. 

Given QAIA's significant transformations and consistent successes within regional and global aviation arenas, Groupe ADP — a world leader in airport design, construction and operation and an AIG shareholder — increased its stakes to 51 per cent in 2018, with the remaining shares distributed amongst Meridiam Eastern Europe Investments, Mena Airport Holding Ltd. and Edgo Investment Holdings Ltd. This step not only allowed Groupe ADP to deliver more of its industry knowledge and expertise, but it also endorsed the positive impact of PPPs and reinforced Jordan as a trusted destination for foreign investments that, in turn, contribute to job creation and economic growth, the statement said.

To this end, AIG succeeded in augmenting the direct and indirect socioeconomic impact of QAIA on the Kingdom by enabling over 238,000 jobs across the Jordanian economy in 2019, supporting JD 542 million of government revenue and contributing more than JD2.5 billion to the national economy (approximately 8.9 per cent of local GDP), according to a comprehensive study conducted by International Air Transport Association (IATA) Consulting.

Throughout the past decade, QAIA’s airline and destination networks peaked at 50 and 79, respectively, while passenger figures reached a high of over 8.9 million in one year for the first time in its history. These numbers were the result of the growth in QAIA’s airline partners network and Airport International Group’s proactive efforts, which involved attending route development conferences and forums and holding one-on-one meetings with airlines to encourage more frequent flights, as well as the addition of new destinations that effectively expanded QAIA’s networks following the 2013 inauguration. 

Since 2013, QAIA has been at the forefront of customer experience, shaping a hospitable airport where passengers feel at home and receiving several prestigious accolades from Airports Council International World (ACI World). 

In recognition of its dedication to service quality and passenger satisfaction, QAIA, for five years, topped the “Best Airport by Size and Region: Middle East” category for airports serving 5 to 15 million passengers annually based on the Airport Service Quality (ASQ) Survey and, most recently, earned the 2022 ASQ Award for the newly launched “Most Enjoyable Airport in the Middle East” category. 

Furthermore, QAIA became the first airport in the Middle East to achieve Level 3 of the Airport Customer Experience Accreditation in acknowledgment of its continuous improvements in customer experience and services, per recommended practices and industry standards.

Over the past 10 years, QAIA has been steadfast in its climate action endeavours and adherence to the stringent Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA) Programme. As a result, it became the first airport in the Middle East and the second in Asia Pacific to reach Level 4+ ‘Transition’ — the highest level of the ACA Program - and is a two-time recipient of the ACI Asia-Pacific Green Airports Recognition. Moving forward, QAIA seeks to transcend the requirements of Level 4+ to emerge as a net-zero carbon airport by 2050 — in line with the global airport industry’s long-term carbon goal, the Paris Agreement and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. 

As a socially responsible, eco-conscious airport operator, AIG established Airport International Group Foundation (AIGF) in 2019 to consolidate its wide-ranging and years-long CSR efforts. Through AIGF and per the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, AIG seeks to empower local youth, support the development of nearby underprivileged communities and deploy eco-friendly best practices and energy-conserving protocols, particularly in Al Jizah where QAIA is located. 

To date, AIGF has graduated 71 young women and men from the various vocational courses conducted at its “Hirfati” Training Centre, delivered football training for 60 children at an AIGF-renovated field, developed 20 home gardens under its sustainable agriculture course and planted 1,000 fruit trees for Al Jizah beneficiaries. 

In other domains, QAIA was awarded five ISO certifications in recognition of its management systems and underwent a major modernisation of its IT systems in collaboration with Amadeus, making them more agile and adaptable to the benefit of passengers. 

Additionally, QAIA completed the $75 million Extension of the Baggage Handling System (EBHS) project, which increased annual passenger capacity and enhanced the outbound hold baggage handling and screening processes in compliance with the latest international standards, while raising the total area of the Terminal Building to 170,000 sqm. 

On this occasion, Tahtamouni, said: “QAIA is considered amongst the most prominent PPP projects, embodying the royal vision and serving as a successful example of this form of partnership. I would like to take this opportunity to commend the efforts of all concerned parties — namely the Government of Jordan, security authorities and Airport International Group — in ensuring this project’s success. The importance of QAIA lies in its ability to facilitate passenger flow, deliver premium services worthy of Jordan’s visitors and develop airline and destination networks and air routes with the support of the Ministry of Transport and Airport International Group to promote tourism.”

“Our unwavering commitment to ensuring passenger satisfaction and maintaining sustainable and responsible operations has been the cornerstone of our success over the past 10 years. Through a successful PPP, we — alongside our grantor, employees and partners — have worked tirelessly to create an airport experience that reflects the best of our community and showcases our commitment to hospitality. We are immensely grateful to all those who have helped us achieve tremendous milestones, including our media partners who have been instrumental in showcasing QAIA in Jordan and beyond. As we look ahead, we remain dedicated to enhancing our airport's offerings and ensuring that every passenger travelling through Jordan’s prime gateway to the world feels welcomed and at home,” commented AIG CEO Nicolas Claude.