SYSTRA France has been appointed to provide technical project management assistance for the development of Mayotte’s future airport, supporting the project from its preparation phase through to contract finalisation between 2026 and 2030.
Commissioned by the French Ministry of Transport through the Directorate General for Civil Aviation (DGAC) and the Air Transport Directorate (DTA), the contract will see SYSTRA lead a consortium comprising Aéroport de Nice, Mzé Conseil, BRL Ingénierie, Neo-Eco and Ekium.
The new airport is planned for the Bouyouni M’Tsangamouji site on the northwest coast of Grande-Terre, the largest island in the French overseas territory of Mayotte. It forms part of the rebuilding programme adopted in 2025 and is intended to provide the archipelago with a longer runway capable of accommodating long-haul aircraft, enabling more direct services to mainland France and international destinations.
Mayotte’s existing Dzaoudzi-Pamandzi Airport, located on Petite-Terre, has a runway that is too short for wide-body aircraft to depart at full payload, requiring technical refuelling stops on some long-distance routes. The current airport has also faced increasing geological concerns following the emergence of an underwater volcano around 50 kilometres offshore in 2018, which has been linked to frequent seismic activity and ground subsidence.
Plans to extend the existing airport were previously assessed but ruled out due to geological, environmental, urban and operational constraints. According to the project team, developing a new airport on Grande-Terre is expected to reduce construction costs and environmental impacts compared with expanding the existing site.
Sébastien Mercier, Project Director for the Indian Ocean, SYSTRA France said:Our ambition is to provide the State with high-level technical project owner support, capable of combining strategic vision, operational excellence, local roots and risk management to turn this public ambition into a tangible reality.
Under the four-year assignment, the consortium will assist with technical planning, project scheduling and the preparation of procurement strategies. It will also undertake preliminary engineering studies covering environmental, landscape, urban planning and airport requirements, alongside assessments of material reuse, accommodation needs and aviation fuel supply.
The project also includes support for agricultural relocation, with the consortium coordinating engagement with affected farmers, preparing baseline assessments and developing compensation proposals for submission to the relevant authorities.
In parallel, the team will assess Dzaoudzi-Pamandzi Airport to identify any upgrades required to maintain operations until the new airport enters service.
The consortium will also support future procurement processes, including preparation of tender documentation, evaluation of bids and contract negotiations, whether the project proceeds through a concession or design-build model.
Preparatory works are expected to begin in 2027, with the new airport scheduled to open to passengers in 2036.
