Senegal opens new international airport

Senegal’s new international airport – open since December 2017 – is to become a travel hub for all of West Africa. The country has high hopes that the Airport International Blaise-Diagne will push the local and regional economy.

The opening date of the new airport has been pushed back several times over the past ten years. Now that it is open, the airport, with an estimated cost of $575m, is five times larger than the old one. Blaise-Diagne is expected to receive 3 million passengers in its first year. News24 reports that the government is aiming for 5 million passengers in 2023 and 10 million in 2035.

The opening of the new airport is the end for Leopold Sedar Senghor international airport, located in the congested capital. It is now closed for commercial air traffic. Although the facilities of the new airport are very good, there is one disadvantage: it is located 50 kilometers from Senegal’s capital Dakar. There are plans for a connecting train service, but it will take years before this rail connection will start its operation. Meanwhile, a taxi ride will cost about $32.

Further reading on news24.com