New Terminal Boosts Tehran IKAC Airport City's Passenger Capacity by 80%

The new terminal, with a capacity of transporting five million passengers per year, has increased IKAC's overall capacity by 80%, IRNA reported.

Eslami was quoted as saying at the inaugural ceremony that international flights will start operating from Salam Terminal as of June 22.

He added that pilgrimage flights to Saudi Arabia's Mecca this year will be handled through Salam Terminal, according to Financial Tribune.

The airport's Terminal 1 has been handling the passenger traffic of international flights over and above its capacity until now, as domestic routes are handled at Tehran's Mehrabad International Airport. 

Part of the traffic will now be diverted to Salam Terminal and domestic flights can now be operated at Terminal 1.

Terminal 1 is expected to handle domestic flights between 12 a.m. and 5 a.m., when Mehrabad is barred from operating flights. 

In the fiscal 2017-18, IKIA hosted over nine million passengers.

The terminal’s Operational Readiness and Airport Transfer (ORAT) was concluded recently.

Completely developed by domestic engineers, Salam Terminal is said to be the country’s first “smart” airport facility using state-of-the-art design and technology.

"The use of local workforce, technology and materials helped us save at least $3 million in the construction process," Ali Rostami, the CEO of Imam Khomeini Airport Company, said.

According to Rostami, domestically-made equipment including baggage handling system and Passenger Boarding Bridge will be used for the first time in Salam Terminal.

The construction of the so-called "Salam Terminal/Gallery" started 10 years ago in the fiscal March 2009-10 with the collaboration of Imam Khomeini Airport City Company and Mostazafan Foundation, ILNA reported.

The terminal hall features the artworks of several well-known Iranian artists. 

Up until the fiscal 2016-17, the development of the terminal had made 18% progress and was moving forward slowly due to shortage of funds. 

Late in the fiscal 2016-17, Melli Sakhteman Company, a subsidiary of Mostazafan Foundation, signed the first Build-Operate-Transfer contract to provide the project’s resources.

IKIA authorities have placed the construction of a third terminal on the agenda. Iranshahr Terminal’s first phase is expected to be completed in the next five years with a capacity of transporting 25 million passengers per year. The final phase has been planned for transporting 110 million passengers annually.

Imam Khomeini International Airport registered 47,446 takeoffs and landings in the last fiscal year (ended March 20, 2019) to register a 19% decline.

More than 7.27 million passengers and 141,704 tons of cargos were transported from the airport during the period to rank third on the list of Iran’s busiest airports. The figures show a 19% and 14% decline YOY respectively.

Tehran’s Mehrabad International Airport was the busiest Iranian airport last year with 126,030 takeoffs and landings, registering a 12% fall YOY.

More than 14.82 million passengers and 102.949 tons of cargo were handled at this airport to register a 15% decline each YOY.

IKIA has the biggest share of international flights operated in Iran and Mehrabad the biggest in terms of domestic ones.

Tehran's Imam Khomeini International Airport has been distinguished as the third fastest-growing major airport in the world. 

A study by Routes Online shows the airport grew in terms of passenger traffic by 48.6% during the first half of 2018 to 3.93 million, helped by Ata Airlines, following the rise in frequencies to Istanbul’s Ataturk.

Operated by Iran Airports Company, IKIA is located 30 kilometers southwest of Iran's capital city Tehran.