Kuwait Airport’s new Terminal 2: part one – the private path to becoming a bone fide regional hub

It came as a surprise to some when Korea's Incheon Airport successfully bid for a short contract to manage Terminal 4 at Kuwait Airport. It seemed as if the Kuwait management was testing the waters.

But now, with Terminal 2, which is still under construction, also to be opened up to external management, and with the local low cost airline Jazeera Airways operating its own terminal there, Kuwait becomes arguably the most privatised airport in the Middle East, even though the degree of privatisation is low where T2 and T4 are concerned - at 'management contract' level, without financial commitment.

It isn't yet clear how the state-of-the-art and environmentally aware design will influence the type of airline to operate there, and how that will impact on external interest in it, but it is probable that unsuccessful bidders for T4 will return for this one.

This is part one of a two-part report.