Aeroports de Paris, the operator of Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports, has signed a partnership agreement with Chateauroux-Deols Airport to study the potential of the latter to handle increased freight traffic. Chateauroux-Deols is located in the Paris area and offers a 24h operation. Passenger numbers at London Luton Airport rose 33% in the first six months of the year to 2.29 million. Scheduled services make up 77% of the traffic. Frankfurt Main Airport is to invest DM100 million ($52 million) in Philippine International Air Terminals, the consortium that will build and operate the new terminal 3 at Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport. Construction is due to start early next year and should be complete by July 2002. A R24-million ($4 million) cargo facility at Cape Town International Airport in South Africa is expected to expand dramatically the cargo-handling capabilities of the Western Cape's major airport. Construction on the new 11,000m2 (118,000ft2) cargo centre, situated to the north of the South African Airways cargo facility, is due for completion in November. Barbabos has begun a $70 million renovation of Bridgetown's Grantley Adams International Airport. The five-year, three-phase programme includes airfield pavement repairs, a new cargo apron, terminal improvements and modernisation and expansion of the terminal. Edmonton International Airport has awarded a C$51 million ($34 million) contract to local Canadian company PCI-Maxam to expand its south-east terminal by 76%. Work should finish in September 2000. The Malaysian Government says it is preparing to privatise Malaysia Airports, which runs all the country's major airports. India will allow 100% private equity holding in its airports as part of a drive to improve standards to international levels. Private equity participation of up to 74% is ordinarily allowable, with 100% being allowed in special cases.
Source: Flight International