Morocco Invests $165 Million to Expand Marrakech and Tangier Airports

The National Airports Office (ONDA) is active in the expansion of the Marrakech Menara and Tanger Ibn Batouta airports. After launching two calls for tenders to undertake architectural studies and ensure the monitoring of the extension works for the two airports, it was able to mobilize 1.65 billion, of which 800 million dirhams will be used to set up in Tanger Ibn Batouta a passenger terminal of approximately 55,000 m², and to build a new control tower, reports Médias24. This terminal includes a public hall (reception, circulation and waiting area, service of the various modules, information, shops, services, ticket withdrawal for departing passengers); a screening and filtering zone before entering the public hall, allowing access control for all terminal users and a check-in area including passenger and baggage check-in counters and spaces reserved for check-in queues.

In order to ensure the smooth running of flight operations, the Tanger airport platform will be equipped with a new control tower. Its architectural design will have to meet the functional and technical needs of the various services housed in this building. This involves the installation of the control tower outside the air easements and offering a clear view of the runway and various airport facilities, the best layout of the space to accommodate the technical equipment and provide a suitable environment for the work and rest of the tower staff and the construction of upper floors or immediately adjacent to the control tower to house the various dependencies.

The second part of the mobilized fund (850 million dirhams) will be used, for its part, to set up in Marrakech Menara a passenger terminal of an area of around 120,000 m² including the extension. This terminal will be spread over four levels. There is the basement level, spread over an area of 16,000 m², housing the baggage sorting system, premises, air conditioning and baggage sorting support premises, and the level 0, spread over an area equal to 55,200 m² of which 52,000 m² are already present and 3,200 m² are intended for the extension, including a departure and arrival hall, check-in counters, international and domestic PIF, international and domestic PAF, company and subcontractor offices, ground handling offices, a departure police control (emigration and immigration) international and domestic, international boarding lounges, a health check, a baggage delivery room and customs control.

This terminal will also consist of a level 1 (with an area of 20,650 m², of which 9,150 m² are allocated to the extension and 11,500 m² are already in place containing a disembarkation gallery and technical premises) and a level 2 (spread over an area equal to 28,850 m² including an extension of 11,350 m², a pre-existing part of 17,500 m² containing international boarding lounges and commercial areas). These projects should make it possible to increase the capacity of Marrakech Menara airport to 11.5 million passengers.