The expansion will entail the addition of 10 aircraft parking stands and eight aerobridges, as well as the extension of the passenger concourse by about 25,000 square metres. Project costs are estimated at BD 50 million ($131.6 million).

The project is being handled by the Works & Housing Ministry, working in co-operation with the Civil Aviation Authority.

The expansion is part of a wider scheme to upgrade the national airport to cope with increasing passenger and cargo traffic levels, which the government forecasts annually at 7 per cent and 15 per cent respectively up to 2015. A new control tower is under construction and additional cargo bays and executive aprons have recently been built. In mid-November, two bids were submitted for the runway resurfacing contract.