State of the art airport terminal opens

One of Africa’s largest airport passenger terminals opened in Addis Ababa this week ahead of a key summit by the continent's political leaders. The state of the art international terminal is expected to be able to process some 3,000 passengers an hour. The opening comes just two weeks before dozens of African leaders fly into Addis Ababa for a summit hosted by the African Union (AU). Plans for a new terminal and runway were launched six years ago. The new runway can also accommodate the largest planes, like Boeing 747s, which could boost the numbers of tourists flying into Ethiopia. The three-story building also houses a high tech security and baggage handling system built on more than 43,000 square metres of land. The terminal also contains banks and duty free shops. The new terminal at Bole International Airport is one of a number of airport terminal constructions that have been underway in Ethiopia. New terminals have been constructed in Gondar, Lalibela and an international airport in Mekelle, the capital of Tigray region in the north of Ethiopia.