Saudia hub at Jeddah’s new airport to be fully operational next year: report

Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) expects its main hub at Jeddah’s new King Abdulaziz International Airport to become fully operational by April next year, MEED reported on Sunday.

The Kingdom’s national carrier will be operating flights from the new and old Jeddah airports simultaneously until the new facility is fully functional, the report said, citing unnamed sources with knowledge of the plans.

French firm Egis Group is said to be supporting Saudia’s operational readiness and airport transfer (Orat) program.

The new King Abdulaziz International welcomed its first commercial flight on May 29, marking the beginning of a four-phase launch plan for the $7.2 billion facility.

The country’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), which is overseeing over the new airport’s soft launch, expects it to enter full commercial operations early next year.

King Abdulaziz International airport is Saudi Arabia’s largest in terms of passenger traffic, handling 34 million passengers in 2017.