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The Council discussed the policy of Sharjah Airport Authority. The session was attended by His Excellency Ali Salim Al Midfa, Member of the Executive Council and Chairman of the Sharjah Airport Authority; Sheikh Faisal bin Saud Al Qasimi, Director of the Authority; Dr. Ahmed Hassan Al Adhab Al Hamoudi, Director of Customer Service; Sarah Mohammed Al Midfa, Director of the Finance Department; Mohammed Rashid Al Sharif, Assistant Director of the Commercial Affairs Department; Lamia Ahmed Al Sarrah, Assistant Director of the Strategic Planning and Performance Department; and Engineer Amna Omran Al Owais, Director of the Projects Department.
The Secretary-General of the Council, Ahmed Saeed Al Jarwan, presented the general topic of discussing the policy of the Sharjah Internationa Airport Authority, saying that in 1932, the city of Sharjah saw the landing of the first aircraft on the station’s runway, which later developed into Sharjah International Airport, one of the oldest and most important airports in the UAE and the region. Today, the airport is a vital gateway connecting the Emirate of Sharjah to the world, and an economic, tourism, and investment tributary that contributes to supporting the comprehensive development pursued by the Emirate under the wise guidance of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah. Al Jarwan added that Sharjah Airport has seen significant developments over the past decades, becoming the operations centre for Air Arabia and occupying a leading position among the region’s airports in terms of low-cost airline traffic. It has also succeeded in providing an integrated system of services for passengers and air cargo, and is considered one of the fastest-growing airports in terms of passenger traffic.
His Excellency Ali Salim Al Midfa, Chairman of Sharjah Airport Authority, then delivered a speech in which he praised the efforts of SCC and its keenness to discuss strategic issues that contribute to the development of infrastructure and services provided to passengers. His Excellency emphasised the importance of this institutional cooperation in supporting the Authority's plans to achieve Sharjah Airport's vision as a major regional and international air transport hub.
Al Midfa reviewed the most prominent features of the airport's comprehensive expansion plan, the largest since its establishment, explaining that the expansion project has exceeded 71% completion. The project aims to increase the airport's capacity to more than 20 million passengers annually by 2027 through the construction of new buildings, the expansion of departure and arrival halls, and the development of baggage systems and smart services.
Al Midfa also addressed Sharjah Airport's statistics for 2024, which show an 11% growth in the total number of passengers, a 10% growth in the total number of aircraft, a 2% growth in the total volume of air and sea freight, and a 39% growth in the total volume of air freight. He pointed out that current projects include the current passenger terminal, the new passenger terminal, additional aircraft parking, and the new engineering and maintenance department building.
His Excellency Saeed Mattar bin Hamed Al Tunaiji discussed the need to separate transit passengers from other passengers and provide dedicated facilities for this category to ensure speedy procedures. He also proposed, in coordination with Air Arabia and Sharjah Airport Travel Agency, providing facilities for the elderly and retirees, as a way to promote social responsibility.
In an extensive intervention, His Excellency Mohammed Abdullah Al Belushi reviewed several topics related to promoting Emiratisation in the aviation sector. He proposed establishing the Sharjah Aviation Academy in cooperation with the University of Sharjah and called for adopting the Sharjah Aviation Hobbies Club initiative as an educational and recreational platform. He also requested reports on the current Emiratisation rates in flight attendant and ground staff positions, and mechanisms to motivate national cadres in terms of salaries and job benefits.
In turn, His Excellency Tariq Murad Mirza Al Belushi asked about the airport's readiness to handle weather and health crises and emergencies, and the level of coordination with tourism and media entities to promote the emirate's attractions within air travel, which contributes to enhancing tourist attraction.
His Excellency Amer Mohammed Al Zarooni highlighted the timeline for the airport expansion phases and the level of contribution of the air cargo sector to the emirate's GDP. He also inquired about the employment opportunities created by the expansion and the Authority's plans to qualify national cadres and localise new jobs
His Excellency Abdullah Taresh Al Ketbi addressed policies to diversify non-traditional sources of income and the Authority's move to allocate investment spaces within or around the airport to enhance self-reliance and support the emirate's local economy.
His Excellency Engineer Nabil bin Butti Al Muhairi also focused on the future of handling the airport's capacity exceedance after reaching 20 million passengers annually, in terms of infrastructure, operational systems, and human resources. He also proposed the possibility of providing annual subscription parking spaces to reduce pressure on vehicle parking spaces, in addition to developing the airport's fueling systems to keep pace with expected growth.
Following the discussion of the Sharjah Airport Authority's policy, SCC members who requested the floor presented a series of technical and developmental inquiries, reflecting their commitment to developing this vital facility and enhancing its role in serving the emirate.
In response to the questions, it was noted that the Authority has adopted several initiatives in the field of digital transformation, most notably the smart travel system and biometric identification technologies, in addition to enhancing cybersecurity systems and implementing periodic digital emergency tests. The existing cooperation with the Department of Civil Aviation in training national cadres through the Sharjah Aviation Sciences Center was also noted.
The Chairman of Sharjah International Airport Authority emphasised the Authority's commitment to working according to a comprehensive vision aimed at strengthening the airport's position as a leading regional hub by improving infrastructure, expanding the network of air destinations, attracting more national and international airlines, and investing in future technologies. This will enhance the airport's competitiveness and keep pace with the aspirations of the Emirate of Sharjah in the fields of transportation, tourism, and the economy.
His Excellency Ali Salim Al Midfa, Chairman of Sharjah Airport Authority, reviewed the Authority's policies and services, noting that the passenger terminal expansion project is the largest package in a series of expansion projects, with a total cost of AED 2.4 billion. It aims to increase the airport's capacity to more than 25 million passengers annually by 2027.
Al Midfa affirmed that the Authority continues its commitment to providing integrated services that meet the highest quality standards, which contributes to raising the efficiency of operational performance and providing a distinct and smooth travel experience that meets customer expectations. He expressed his confidence in continuing positive growth at all levels, especially in light of the ongoing comprehensive expansion projects..
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