Ethiopia has signed an agreement for the design of a new four-runway airport that will be Africa's biggest when construction is completed in 2029, the head of state-owned Ethiopian Airlines said on Friday. Located near the town of Bishoftu, around 45 km from the capital Addis Ababa, the airport will have capacity to handle 100m passengers a year and provide parking for 270 aircraft, Ethiopian Airlines' CEO Mesfin Tasew told a news conference. Dubai-based engineering and consulting firm Sidara will design the airport, the company's director of operations Tariq Al Qanni said. Plans to build the airport were first announced in 2018. Mesfin said Bole Addis Ababa International Airport, the current main hub for Africa's biggest airline, will soon reach its capacity of serving 25m passengers per year. "It is a five-year project (that) will be finalised in 2029. It will be the biggest in Africa," Mesfin said. "Phase one alone will cost at least $6b... The money will come through loans and there are already companies that already showed interest." Ethiopian Airlines carried 17m passengers in the 2023/2024 financial year, and expects to carry 20m passengers in the financial year that started in July.<br/>
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Members of Air New Zealand’s frequent flyer programme, Airpoints, can now share their points with a group. Air New Zealand has made upgrades to its website, making it easier to view a member’s Airpoints benefits and activity. Airpoints Dollars will be able to be shared with up to 10 different people within New Zealand. Until now, members could only share with four others across two addresses. Tier review dates have also been simplified, meaning if members retain their tier, the new membership year will begin immediately instead of the six-week wait it was previously. Air New Zealand chief digital officer Nikhil Ravishankar said it is the first of two phases of its improvements. “We’re not slowing down, we're committed to creating an even more rewarding travel experience for our members, so watch this space.” In the next 12 months, Airpoints members will gain more earning power with more retailers, more rewards and a new tier. Currently, there are three tiers - Silver, Gold and Elite. Where the new tier will sit on that scale is not yet known. Ravishankar said the airline was thrilled to unveil the first of many improvements to its frequent flyer programme.<br/>