Erbil creates a modern gateway to the new Iraq

Entering the bustling new terminal at EIA brings back the stark reminder that, before 2003, there was no civil airport in Kurdistan Iraq. 

Technically, the older airport is not that old in terms of civilian use. It was upgraded for civil operations in 2003 – prior to this it was used as a military base.

In terms of transportation, trade and tourism the development of EIA was crucial according to the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), which commissioned the construction of the new airport in the shortest possible time to accommodate rising passenger numbers.

“The increase in numbers confirms the trend established in the last quarter of 2010, when year-on-year monthly passenger gains hovered around the 40 per cent mark. By the end of 2011, we expect to see at least 550,000 passengers,” said EIA’s communications and marketing adviser Andrew Jones.

Current traffic figures seem to be aligned with the decision for a larger capacity airport.

In 2010, 454,469 passengers were processed representing a 31 per cent increase on the previous year.  In January 2011, passenger numbers increased by 44 per cent to 37, 807 compared to January 2010.

The old airport (situated next to the new airport) had a capacity for approximately 300,000 per year; it had only three gates, four check-in counters and a 2,800m runway.

In contrast, the new EIA has a 72,000sqm passenger terminal with 20 check-in positions. Two satellite wings are connected to 16 gates; six of them are fitted with passenger boarding bridges. The airport is certified for CAT II operations with an annual capacity for three million passengers. IATA accreditation was awarded in 2006 using the EBL code. The airport also features a dedicated apron for VIP business jets and a separate terminal for visiting dignitaries and diplomats.

Just prior to the opening of EIA in March 2010, a fully integrated trial operation was conducted involving an Atlas Jet A320. The Airbus arrived from Istanbul with a full load of mock passengers and baggage. It was intercepted by the EIA instrument landing system (ILS) at 11.4 miles out, and on landing the pilot used only 35 per cent of the 4,800m runway – which is the fifth longest in the world. At the time, the Atlas Jet pilot described the runway as if it were “landing on the ocean”.

By September 2010, the first scheduled flights using the new airport had taken off.  “From the start of 2011, some 13 carriers are operating to 23 international and domestic destinations. Istanbul and Amman are the top two destinations,” confirmed Jones.

  EIA indicates that total aircraft movements have increased by 60 per cent since 2006. Austrian Airlines has increased its Erbil services from two to five times a week during peak months. There are also regular arrivals by Atlas Jet and Turkish Airlines from Istanbul.

MEA operates the busy Beirut route with four weekly flights into Erbil using an A321. There is a growing Lebanese expatriate community residing in Kurdistan, which now has the alternative of a national carrier on a route that was previously operated solely by a local charter company.

After a 20-year service suspension, Star Alliance carrier Lufthansa resumed operations to Iraq last year with a four-times weekly service between Frankfurt and Erbil using A319s. This was soon followed by the launch of services to Abu Dhabi by Etihad – becoming the first UAE carrier to operate services to Northern Iraq. Etihad deploys an A320 on the route, complementing a daily service operating into Baghdad. 

Etihad’s CEO James Hogan has since reported that the market response to Baghdad and Erbil has been “overwhelmingly positive”, with high traffic volumes enjoyed. 

The airport authorities at Erbil are keen to exploit EIA’s strategic location on the historic Silk Road of the airways, hoping to reclaim its former position along one of the world’s most important trade routes.

Specialists from Incheon International Airport in South Korea were contracted to develop the technical capacities of EIA’s staff. Incheon has been involved in the technical training and skill transfer over the past five years. ATC personnel are put through an annual technical and physical examination and, once passed, the Iraqi CAA in Baghdad licenses them.

The concept design and master plan for the development of EIA was conducted by the UK-based Scott Wilson Group and central to the design concept was how to tackle the issue of security. Even though security threats are limited in the Kurdistan region, it remains of significant concern to justify some of the measures in place.

A ll passengers, visitors and staff are screened in a purpose-built control building before accessing the terminal. Baggage belonging to departing passengers is checked and screened before entry into the terminal; once cleared they are bussed to the terminal building. On arrival at the terminal, passengers then undergo the usual screening procedures that are conducted at all international airports. Members of the public awaiting arriving passengers are not allowed access to the terminal; they wait in a specified area several kilometres away from the building.

EIA uses Raytheon technology for much of its security applications but Jones was unable to provide exact details on the full range of systems that have yet to be installed under the multi-phased contract.

The cost of aviation fuel at EIA has had a somewhat positive impact on traffic growth. EIA has been offering the least expensive aviation fuel in Iraq. In 2010, EIA was reportedly selling $83 cents per litre while at Baghdad International Airport a litre was pegged at $94 cents.

Another traffic stimulating tactic by the KRG is a policy to attract Iraqi Kurds working abroad or those in exile to return home and feed the growing construction sector and other industries. Many of these people have returned, bringing with them useful connections from other countries.

“Erbil itself is in the midst of a construction boom with hotels, offices, apartments and villa developments springing up around the capital,” Jones said. “Last year the KRG’s investment board reported the commencement of projects worth around $4.6bn. Construction took the lion’s share, with trade netting $948m and the industrial sector, $1.13bn. In all, the board identified projects worth $17.3bn, of which nearly 25 per cent is supported by foreign investors.”

As Arabian Aerospace went to press, EIA was scheduled to be the host venue for the first Iraq Air Cargo and Logistics 2011 Conference (April 26-28).

The event is a platform to showcase the potential of EIA with respect to cargo and logistics and provide a gateway for companies in the aviation, airports, and cargo and logistics sectors to better understand the needs of the Iraqi aviation industry as it continues its revitalisation and rehabilitation.