Amman, February 2 (Petra) – The Airport International Group highlighted significant achievements and initiatives Queen Alia International Airport (QAIA) undertook in 2024 across operations, passenger experience, environmental sustainability, and community development.

In a statement on Sunday, the group underscored the airport’s recognition with prestigious awards, notably the Silver Jubilee Medal granted by His Majesty King Abdullah II in appreciation of its contributions to Jordan, particularly in supporting local communities.

The group noted that the Jordanian government granted a seven-year extension of the “build-operate-transfer” concession agreement until 2039, reinforcing confidence in the Airport International Group and affirming the QAIA’s success as a public-private partnership model at both local and regional levels.

The QAIA was recognized for its excellence in passenger satisfaction, ranking first in the “Airports with a capacity of 5 to 15 million passengers in the Middle East” category for the second consecutive year and the eighth time overall, based on the Airports Council International’s 2023 Airport Service Quality Survey.

Additionally, it received a four-star Skytrax rating, renewed its Level 3 accreditation in the Airports Council International’s Airport Customer Experience Accreditation Program, and was awarded the Seal of Excellence from the King Abdullah II Award for Excellence for the Private Sector.

In infrastructure and operations, the Airport International Group signed an agreement with Joramco to establish a new hangar, creating 400 job opportunities and expanding maintenance capabilities. Two contracts between the entities were also renewed for 30 years to support the airport’s long-term strategic growth. Additionally, a collaboration with Jordan Water Company (Miyahuna) led to the installation of an 11-kilometer pipeline to enhance QAIA’s water supply network.

The group also signed a memorandum of understanding with key aviation stakeholders to implement the Collaborative Decision-Making Project at Airports by 2025. This initiative will enable real-time data exchange to optimize aircraft handling times, runway capacity planning, resource utilization, fuel consumption, and carbon emissions while improving airline punctuality.

Passenger traffic in 2024 reflected the impact of regional tensions, with the QAIA receiving 8,798,595 passengers, marking a 4.4 percent decline from 2023. The airport recorded 73,370 aircraft movements, a 5.6 percent decrease, while air cargo operations increased by 12 percent to 75,450 tons. In December, the airport handled 710,876 passengers and 5,863 aircraft movements, reflecting respective increases of 10.6 percent and 5 percent compared to 2023. However, air cargo saw a 12.5 percent decline, reaching 5,632 tons.

The QAIA continued to expand its air network, introducing new direct routes to London Stansted, Manchester, Berlin, AlUla (via Royal Jordanian), and Moscow (via Jordan Aviation and Royal Jordanian), while major airlines resumed key flights, enhancing connectivity.

The Airport International Group reiterated its commitment to sustainability, advancing a 4.8 MW photovoltaic solar power plant project, positioning the QAIA among the largest solar-powered airports in the Middle East and North Africa. The project will meet approximately 25 percent of the airport’s operational energy needs and reduce annual carbon emissions by about 12,000 tons, aligning with efforts to achieve net-zero emissions before 2050.

Both the Airport International Group and its Foundation received high environmental, social, and governance performance ratings, scoring 84/100 and 92/100, respectively, from the European rating agency ESG Score.

In community development, the Airport International Group Foundation celebrated the graduation of the fifth batch of the “Hirfati” training center, bringing the total number of graduates to 622. The initiative aligns with the Foundation’s focus on youth empowerment, environmental sustainability, and support for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Additionally, the group hosted the “Airport Innovation Days” competition in Jordan, launched by Aéroports de Paris Group. The competition supported startups pioneering innovation in the airport sector, with the top three Jordanian winners gaining access to resources and industry expertise to develop advanced solutions.

Airport International Group CEO Nicolas Devillier emphasized that these milestones reflect the group’s commitment to enhancing passenger experience, expanding its global network, and promoting sustainability, praising government support in strengthening the QAIA’s international standing as Jordan’s primary air gateway.

//Petra// AJ
02/02/2025 15:55:07