Saudi GACA awards contracts to develop four airports

Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) has formally awarded contracts for the development of four airports under the public private partnership (PPP) scheme, MEED reported on Sunday.

 The aviation sector regulator also granted a 20-year operation and management (O&M) concession to Singapore’s Changi Airports International (CAI) for King Abdulaziz International Airport (KAIA) in Jeddah.

 The contract to develop Taif International Airport has been awarded to a consortium of Saudi-based Asyad Holding Group, Lebanon’s Consolidated Contractors Co. (CCC) and Germany-based Munich Airport.

 Meanwhile, Riyadh-based Al Rajhi Holding Group and Turkey's TAV Airports won concession agreements for the development of Qassim’s Prince Naif bin Abdul Aziz Airport, Hail International Airport and Prince Abdul Mohsin bin Abdul Aziz Airport in Yanbu.

 When completed, Taif and Qassim airports are expected to have passenger capacity of 5.8 million and 5.5 million, respectively.

 The capacity of the other two airports in Hail and Yanbu will also reach 4 million and 3.7 million passengers, respectively.

 The four airports will be developed under a 30-year build, operate and transfer (BOT) model.