Cairo Airport is one of the main milestones of the modern history of Egypt due to the strategic importance it carries out in the air transport movement. It is also considered one of the most important airports in Africa and the Middle East, due to the services it provides and makes available to its users. 56 years have passed since the establishment of Cairo Airport and is still witnessing a great and continuous development to raise Its efficiency and provision of many services to be Egypt's first portal and portal for expatriates.
Cairo International Airport is the main and first gate for many things to do in Cairo and where normally Egypt Tours and Egypt Travel Packages usually start. One can take the chance if he ever stopped here to start an amazing Cairo Stopover Transit Tour like the tour to Giza Pyramids and the Sphinx.
Cairo Day Tours and all tours from Cairo Airport allow you to visit the high lights of such an amazing place with so much history to learn about.
It has to adapt all of Aviation movements & activities around the World which has an important impact on the country’s economic income in engagement with various interested governmental, security, Airlines & businesses parties to realize performance integrity enhancing the loyalty of Egyptian Civil Aviation customers which is governed by a set of laws, regulations, national & International standards. It demanding an optimal use of resources ultimately with the organization's performance towards its customers & realize sustainable development also if you are interested to know more about the Egyptian heritage we recommend you to try the Cairo stopover tour, day tour to Luxor from Cairo by plane or even Cairo layover tour.
Cairo International Airport history started in the forties of the last century when the American Bayn Field air-force base was established five kilometers far from Almaza Airport to serve the Alliance during the Second World War. The American forces left the base by the end of the war.
In 1945, the Civil Aviation Authority took over the base and allocated it to the International Civil Aviation. The Airport was called "King Farouk 1st Airport". In the meantime, Almaza Airport was dedicated to domestic flights.
It is worth mentioning that the Air Traffic Movement during that period, particularly in 1946, was 200.000 passengers a year. The peak hour capacity of the Airport reached 200 passengers per hour.
In 1955, some studies were done to build a new terminal with a higher capacity; the location of the new terminal was chosen between the two runways, east of Cairo. The works of construction started in 1957 and have been inaugurated on the 18th of March 1963.
In 1963, Cairo International Airport replaced the old Heliopolis Airport located at the Hike-Step area in the East of Cairo. It consisted of arrival and departure halls, a transit hall, and two runways with a capacity of five million passengers a year.
In the Eighties, air transport rates increased again and a second terminal became a necessity. Terminal 2 with its two arrival and departure halls, a transit hall, and a runway, was constructed to serve 3.5 million passengers per year.
With the increase in Air Traffic Movement and the demand for international service standards, there was a need for developing the airport facilities. As a result, Cairo Airport Company started a major renovation and development plan on the transit hall in Terminal1. It has been finished by the end of 2003 with a cost of US $ 12, 000,000. The consultant designer company for the project is ECG "Engineering Consultants Groups" S.A. Cairo, Egypt.
The building consists of a ground floor, first floor, and a mezzanine. The scope of work has been divided into three phases. The 1st phase was the renovation of the ground floor and has been completed in March 2002 and during the implementation of this work the airport processed normal operations. The ground floor contains the main access doors, bar, cafeteria, main duty-free shops, boutiques, and transit/ transfer facilities moreover some passengers would like to spend time instead of waiting at the airport and we can help you by this by tours from Cairo airport to pyramids where you can witness the seven wonder`s civilization. The second phase, started during June 2003, as a development of the upper floor, which includes lounges, cafes, and the car parking area. First and business class lounges will be located on the mezzanine floor. For economical class, travelers will pay for lounges, each lounge reveals a different theme; Italian, British, American, French, and Arabic. Besides, there will be a luxurious VIP lounge to suit all tastes as for you may get a quick view of Egyptian history by Cairo airport to pyramids tour.
The third phase, that was completed by the end of 2003, includes the completion of a 1960's cafe overlooking the runway as well as duty-free shops.
There are other facilities in the airport as both international and national telephone services, screens and monitors with detailed flight information, telephones for passenger's inquiries, banking facilities, rent cars companies, information desks, post office, pharmacy, clinic, disabled traveler facilities, baggage trolleys, and porters are also available.
The development plan takes into consideration the huge commercial opportunities that serve the airports today. As airports are commercial projects whose performance should always be geared towards increasing revenues, international studies show that air transport fees represent only 40% of airport revenues, a percentage that is expected to shrink to 20% in 10 years. Meanwhile, commercial operations will provide 80 % of airport revenues. One of the ways to increase the airport revenue is by planting flowers on a hundred Feddans of its lands, as the airport has made arrangements to export these flowers to various European countries.
The Airport faces continuous developments as enlarging the capacity of the transit hall from 1200 to 4500 passengers per hour, and a new parking area with the capacity of 800 vehicles has been constructed at a cost of 25 million pounds and if you have a few hours to stay in Egypt so we advise you to try 1-day layover in Cairo tour.
Amongst the new services, a new VIP Arrival and Departure Hall has been constructed outside the airport with a capacity of 180-200 passengers per hour. The new hall mainly serves the first-class passengers and businessmen who want to pay more but to have rest in luxurious lounges while their papers and luggage are being checked.
Terminal 3, which is allocated for domestic flights, has been upgraded into an international hall. There is also a multi-story underground garage had been constructed to serve those who need longtime parking.
All Egyptian tours starting from the airport in Cairo like:
- Cairo Tours | Cairo Day Trips | Cairo Excursions | Cairo Sightseeing Tours | Things to do in Cairo.