Trial operations at King Abdulaziz Airport to begin in 2018

Jeddah’s King Abdulaziz International Airport is set to start pilot operations early in 2018, as expansion works are 88 percent complete, state-run news agency, SPA, reported, citing Ibrahim bin Akram Mandoura, director-general for planning and studies at General Authority for Civil Aviation (GACA).

The $7.2 billion (SAR 27 billion) expansion is designed to include 94 boarding bridges, 150 escalators, 200 elevators, 46 contact gates, and a new passenger terminal complex. The extension will also be able to provide parking for 22,000 vehicles.

Saudi Binladen Group, Turkey’s TAV, and Atkins Arup are amongst 110 companies which are developing the project.

The inauguration of the second phase would bring the annual average number to 55 million passengers before reaching the targeted 100 million passengers by the third phase, data compiled by Argaam showed.