Cairo International Airport (IATA: CAI, ICAO: HECA) (Arabic: مطار القاهرة الدولي Maṭār al-Qāhirah al-Duwaliyy) is the busiest airport in Egypt and the primary hub for Star Alliance member EgyptAir. The airport is located to the north-east of the city around 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) from the business area of the city, it has an area of approximately 37 kilometers square.
The airport is administered by the Egyptian Holding Co. for Airports and Air Navigation (EHCAAN), which controls four companies including: Cairo Airport Co., Egyptian Airports Co., National Air Navigation Services and Aviation Information Technology and the Cairo Airport Authority (CAA), which is the regulatory body. In 2004, Fraport AG won the management contract to run the airport for 8 years.
Cairo International is the second busiest airport in Africa after OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, South Africa. Over 65 airlines use Cairo airport (including charter airlines) and 9 cargo airlines. EgyptAir is the largest operator at the airport, holding 61% of the departure slots in 2009. With the assimilation of the carrier into Star Alliance in July 2008 the airport has the potential to be a major hub with its positioning between Africa, the Middle East and Europe (especially with facilities for the Airbus A380).
In 2011, the airport served 13.0 million passengers (-19.3% vs. 2010) and handled just under 130,152 aircraft movements (-16.2% vs. 2010). Total airfreight tonnage handled at the airport in 2009 dropped by 3.9% to approximately 274,550 tonnes.
The airport has four terminals, with the third (and largest) opened on 27 April 2009 and the Seasonal Flights Terminal opened 20 September 2011. Terminal 2 was closed in April 2010 for major renovation works to the building's structure and facilities. A third parallel runway replaced the crossing runway in 2010. Runway 05L/23R is 3,300 metres (10,800 ft) long, 05C/23C has a length of 4,000 metres (13,000 ft), and the new runway is designated as 05R/23L and is approx. 4,000 metres (13,000 ft). A new cargo terminal is also under construction.
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