The Civil Aviation Authority has announced the completion of the renovation of the southern runway of Muscat International Airport. The construction work is part of the renewal of the airport’s southern railway line and is expected to begin operations shortly. The southern runway opened in 1973 and is an older runway. This main runway was used for international and domestic flights until the northern runway was opened. The Northern Railway opened in mid-December 2014 and businesses were relocated there. The runway was part of the construction package of the new passenger building, completed in 2018.
Shortly afterwards the Muscat International airport was closed for maintenance work with the opening of the northern runway. The southern runway renovation cost $5 million. This includes the renovation and extension of the runway by 500 meters. The construction project also included the addition of nine aircraft entry and exit lanes. This also included four expressways to increase the capacity of Muscat International Airport. This upgrade will allow it to accommodate larger aircraft such as the A380. The renovation is also beneficial because it allows aircraft to take off and land more quickly. This is due to the increased number of exit and entry gates.
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The Renovation Of Muscat International Airport’s Southern Runway Will Improve International And Local Air Traffic
According to the Civil Aviation Authority, the opening of the second runway will improve local and international air traffic. The second runway will provide multiple take-off and landing routes. This will also reduce the noise experienced by residents near Muscat International Airport. At the airport, the number of international flights have increased by 54.7% and passenger traffic has increased by 6.1%.This has happened in the first 8 months of 2023, compared to the same year in 2022. The runway is currently being prepared for the rapid start of flight operations. This will be done after receiving all the necessary certificates in accordance with security requirements.
