The ambitious development plan to expand Oman’s Muscat Airport has been accelerated with the Oman Airport Management Co. advancing the opening date to October 2014. The project had run into delays after tropical cyclone Gonu in 2007, which led to the decision to remove basements and underground areas, resulting in a complete redesign.

Oman’s transport and communications minister Dr. Ahmad Bin Mohammad Al Futaisi announced the change on October 17 during a visit to the airport. The $5.2 billion project will include a new passenger terminal capable of handing 12 million passengers annually, with the potential for expansion to handle up to 48 million.

The work is being carried out by a joint venture with Denmark’s Larsen Architects and Copenhagen Airports and includes runways, approach roads, terminals, baggage-handling systems, control tower and all the other buildings and installations. Aeroports de Paris subsidiary ADPI is the project management consultant.

“This is an ambitious timescale,” said Al Futaisi, “but we believe it is achievable given the progress so far.”