RAF Akrotiri to get new passenger terminal as part of £66m deal

RAF Akrotiri is to get a new passenger and freight handling facility as part of a £66m construction contract.

The new terminal at the Cyprus base will include a larger arrivals and departures lounge.

It will also increase the size of the check-in area, with more desks and a bigger security scanning area, as well as four, instead of two, immigration desks, the government said.

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The existing passenger handling facility was built in the 1960s and is no longer an appropriate size to handle the volume of passengers transported on modern RAF planes.

It was built for VC-10 aircraft, which carried 131 passengers while their replacement, RAF Voyagers, carry 291 passengers and 14 crew, often causing overcrowding in the departure and arrival areas.

Unlike the existing terminal, the new passenger handling facility will have an aeromedical facility, where patients can be held before boarding an onward flight.

The new facility will be designed to minimise energy use, using solar control glazing and intelligent lighting controls, as well as solar PV renewable energy.

Other sustainable features include facilities for electric vehicle charging, rainwater harvesting and the use of sustainable urban drainage systems in the car park area.

The upgrade is part of the APOLLO Programme – from UK Strategic Command and the Defence Infrastructure Organisation – to upgrade Ministry of Defence sites in Cyprus.

The programme is replacing or strengthening buildings that are not seismically compliant to handle the earthquakes experienced in the region.

Minister for Defence Procurement James Cartlidge said: "RAF Akrotiri is an incredibly busy overseas base, supporting operations in the region and beyond - including the recent evacuation from Sudan – and this £66m investment will significantly improve these facilities for our personnel and their families.

"I'm proud that our dedicated teams in the Defence Infrastructure Organisation and UK Strategic Command have kept up the momentum to continue upgrading our sites in Cyprus."

Construction is expected to start later this year, with completion planned for late 2026 and the demolition of the existing building the following year.