Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
The Bahrain Airport Company (BAC) has clarified that the first phase of the airport expansion project will be completed in 2011.
"All the phases of expansion of the Bahrain International Airport (BIA) will be completed by 2038," a BAC spokesman said.
The expansion includes a new general aviation terminal, a new cargo terminal capable of handling 1.5 million tonnes of cargo in place of the current 350,000 tonnes, a people mover system, a road network expansion (future expansions to the existing runway) and utilities infrastructure, he said.
The expansion will triple the passenger capacity to 27 million a year.
Terminal Two will be commissioned by 2012 and Terminal 1A will become operational a year later, BAC chief executive officer Dr Osama Alali said recently.
"The two new terminals will make the BIA one of the most modern and futuristic in the world," he said.
"All modern facilities, including recreation and leisure areas, shopping centres, hotels and anything else that a modern traveller needs, will be incorporated in the new development."
Artist's designs even include a swimming pool.
The present terminal building (Terminal 1) will be demolished in 2014 and replaced with a brand new state-of-the-art structure within a few years, said Dr Alali.
"Piling work on the Terminal 2 construction will begin early in 2010 and construction will go on at a rapid pace thereafter," he added.
