King Fahd Airport eyes 6-8% passenger growth in 2018

King Fahd International Airport is expecting an annual 6 to 8 percent in passenger traffic as well as an increase in cargo volumes in 2018, Arab News reported, citing Turki Abdullah Al-Jawini, chief executive officer, Dammam Airports Company (DACO).

“We would like to take advantage of the strategic location of King Fahd International airport as the Kingdom’s eastern gateway; its proximity to one of the largest seaports, Dammam Port and its proximity to (other) GCC capitals. All this combined can make the perfect ingredients to make a logistic cargo hub at the airport,” he said.

King Fahd International, which is positioning itself as a regional passenger and cargo hub, served 9.8 million passengers last year.

Passenger numbers are up 4.2 percent year-on-year in first quarter 2018, Al-Jawini said, adding three to five airlines are due to start serving the airport by year-end. 

Meanwhile, the airport is expanding its existing infrastructure to accommodate rising passenger growth, with the aim of increasing its capacity from an estimated 12.6 million passengers to 25-30 million passengers in the next 10-15 years.

The expansion is part of the airport’s 30-year masterplan launched in July 2017 following the creation of DACO, a wholly-owned by the Saudi Civil Aviation Holding Company.

"Tenders [for cargo village]  are being reviewed, and contracts would be awarded within a few weeks," Al-Jawini said.