Tunis-Carthage Airport to Remain and Expand
The Tunis-Carthage airport will remain in its current location and will nearly quadruple its capacity. Although the Ministry of Transport has not issued an official statement on the matter, according to the TAP news agency, the decision was confirmed in response to a parliamentary question by MP Helmi Bou Sema at the Assembly of People's Representatives.
Abandoning the New Airport Project
The project to build a new airport has been abandoned, and the expansion of Tunis-Carthage airport has been chosen as the solution for the next few decades. The goal is clear: to increase the airport's capacity from 5 million to 18.5 million passengers per year by 2031, allowing it to remain in service beyond 2050.
A 3 Billion Dinar Project
The project is included in the 2026 budget of the Tunisian Civil Aviation and Airports Authority (OACA), with an estimated budget of 3 billion Tunisian dinars. The expansion plans include:
- A new departure hall with a capacity of 11 million passengers
- Renovation and expansion of the current hall to accommodate 7 million passengers
- A new control tower
- A technical building
- A fire station
- An electrical power plant
- A pumping station
Future Plans and Concerns
The Ministry also plans to recover Enfidha-Hammamet airport when its concession expires in 2047 and connect it to Tunis-Carthage with a high-speed train. However, the question of how the expansion will affect residents living near the airport remains to be addressed. Tripling the airport's capacity will also triple the number of flights, resulting in more noise pollution for nearby residents. Currently, no official document outlines concrete measures to protect them, such as insulation, flight time restrictions, or compensation mechanisms.
Economic Benefits
On the economic front, a larger airport means more jobs in the aviation industry, as well as increased activity for local businesses, hotels, transportation, and enterprises. The expansion represents a real opportunity, provided it is planned with everyone's interests in mind.
