Airport International Group organizes a media tour of QAIA

Curtis Grad, Chief Executive Officer at AIG gave a presentation to the Journalists on the latest developments and future plans and answered inquiries on the project.

Commenting on the visit, Mr. Grad said, "QAIA continues to witness strong growth despite the global financial downturn with an exceptionally strong last quarter of 2008 and final year-end passenger levels of 16.0% over 2007. QAIA, as a niche hub feeding other major transport nodes, has a very strong attraction for travelers going east and west across the globe and our intermediate strategy is to seek more north-south traffic."

"Based on the host of new and upgraded air services announced for Amman in recent months, we are anticipating growth of around 2.5% for 2009, which is consistent with IATA's view that the Middle East region is likely to buck the massive downturn being faced in many other markets," Mr. Grad added.

"Sustaining this growth trend, QAIA has attracted no less that 23 new and/or upgraded air services over that past 12 months through both introduction of new airlines, as well as increased frequency and/or routes by our established carriers. Today we have a growing selection of carriers serving QAIA, in addition to our strategic partner and anchor-operator, Royal Jordanian, adding Bahrain Airlines, Delta, National, Austrian, Malev, Fly Dubai and Wataniya most recently," he said.

AIG has undertaken an intensive phase of improvements and a range of upgrades to services in the existing terminals while at the same time progressing the construction of the new terminal, all aimed at delivering an enhanced level of traveler experience. Travelers can now enjoy the benefits of renovated toilets, new dedicated smoking areas and dramatically improved cleaning services.

Over the coming months our guests will also notice refreshing changes to the food and beverage areas and the offering of new services including valet parking, new stands and enhanced banking services, catering to both leisure and business travelers alike.

AIG's rigorous competitive tender process for new food and beverage services recently resulted in the award of new concession contracts to an impressive and highly capable cross-section of Jordanian investors representing brands such as locally acclaimed Blue Fig and Freeze Creamery, as well as a variety of international brands including KFC, Pizza Hut, Schlotsky Deli, Starbucks Coffee and Caribou Coffee.

Grad went on to confirm encouraging interest had been received from a variety of interested investors for improved banking services, news-stands and an on-airport pharmacy, as well as valet parking, VVIP lounges, meet-n-assist service, car park operations and car rental services.

The tour of QAIA started in the existing terminals taking in the changes within the check-in areas, custom halls, and passengers waiting area, and was then followed with a briefing by chief engineers at the construction site of the new terminal which is clearly progressing well at a time when other similar developments around the world have been witnessing slow downs.

Scheduled to be fully operational by Spring 2012, the all-new QAIA terminal will comfortably greet over 9 million passengers per year, with the capacity of further expansion to 12 million passengers.

The rehabilitation and expansion works at QAIA are well underway with the new passenger terminal extending over 85,000 square meters. AIG, under the terms of a 25-year concession agreement with the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, is responsible for the operation of the airport, the rehabilitation of existing facilities and the construction of the new terminal.

AIG is a Jordanian company with private shareholding by Abu Dhabi Investment Company (UAE), Noor Financial Investment Company (Kuwait), Edgo Group (Jordan), Joannou & Paraskevaides (Overseas) Limited (Cyprus), J&P-Avax (Greece) and Aéroports de Paris Management (France).