JEDDAH, 7 February — A Dutch company has started a viability study on the expansion and renovation of the King Abdul Aziz International Airport here.
The study covers the problem of rainwater drainage and rising ground water level in the airport area as well as the upgrade of the runways and taxiways.
Tender for the airport development project will be invited shortly, according to a source at the Presidency of Civil Aviation. The contract, which will include the construction of bridges, escalators, additional passenger lounges and car parks, will be completed in four to five years.
The source added that the PCA is keen to upgrade the facilities at the airport, as several of them have become outdated.
Prince Sultan, second deputy premier and minister of defense and aviation, ordered the airport renovation program that will see development of spacious lounges and installation of up-to-date equipment to rectify all the difficulties currently being experienced by both passengers and employees.
The prince also wanted to apply an architectural style that conforms to Saudi customs and traditions in the construction of the airport buildings.
The KAAI, the oldest airport in the Kingdom, is the main entry point for the Haj and Umrah pilgrims in addition to millions of other passengers. During the peak season, more than 80,000 passengers pass through the airport a day.
The airport, inaugurated in 1981, will increase its capacity in the next ten years to handle 15 million passengers annually.
