Morocco prepares the extension of Dakhla and Laâyoune airports in Western Sahara
The Kingdom of Morocco plans to invest nearly 5.4 billion dirhams (EUR 520 million) by 2024 to renovate, extend and upgrade several airport infrastructures throughout the country.
The Moroccan authorities anticipate a future saturation of the airport of Dakhla, a city in Western Sahara. They plan to expand this platform from 3,000 to 10,000 m². The logical consequence is that the airport's capacity will increase from 300,000 to 1 million passengers per year. In 2019, the airfield welcomed 257,000 passengers, reports Aeronautique.ma. The actual work will involve extending the old aircraft parking area, which could now accommodate seven medium-sized aircraft; the development of a new parking area capable of accommodating four Boeing 737-800s simultaneously.
The airport of Laayoune - the most important city in Western Sahara - will be upgraded with a view to providing it with modern infrastructure that meets international standards. The works will include the reinforcement of movement areas, pavements, runway sides, the extension of aircraft parking areas and the renovation of the runway lighting system. The taxiways leading to the airport will also be renovated. These projects are part of ONDA's strategy to increase the reception capacity of regional airports and to generalise compliance with international standards in terms of air traffic flow, air safety, airport security and quality of services," says the National Airports Office (ONDA).
