New RGMIA terminal to open in July

Zim Now Writer

The new terminal at Robert Mugabe International Airport in Harare will be open to travellers this in about three weeks when President Emmerson Mnangagwa officially commissions it.

“The president is set to officially open the new terminal on July 13,” a source at the Airports Company of Zimbabwe told Zim Now.

The source also indicated that the upgrade project which was at the 97% stage at the end of March this year is now practically complete.

“The Number Three boarding bridge has been hoisted and connected successfully. The state-of-the-art VVIP pavilion and departure sections are done. The pump station and chilled water pipe have been installed. Almost all the outstanding final touches are in place,” the source said.

The US$153 million project, funded by the China Export-Import Bank increases the airport's annual passenger processing capacity to 6 million people from 2.5 million.

RGMIA now has the potential to rank as one of the top 10 largest airports in Africa by passenger capacity as it is set to attract more airlines above the current 16 serving flights to and from 11 destinations.

OR Tambo in SA is the largest one processing over 21 million passengers annually followed by Cairo which serves around 12 million passengers in the same period.

The upgrade and expansion work entailed the expanding the international terminal building and aprons and the installation of four new air bridges.

The project included the upgrade of the ground lighting system and communication systems and that of service vehicles such as ambulances, universal towing vehicles, shuttle buses, and fire-engines.