Saudi Gazette report

JEDDAH — The Changi Airports International's spokeswoman Teo Lai Ching said that the group plans to operate the new King Abdulaziz International Airport here with a focus on developing traffic and providing seamless connection between Saudi Arabia and the world, Al-Eqtisadiah reported.

Ching added that the group's priority is to connect the new Jeddah airport with the Metro project and to serve passengers starting with their arrival at the airport and to the boarding of the aircraft, through a new digital and technical trajectory that will be part of the new services of the airport.

She said that the new airport complex includes several large facilities that will be integrated with rail and metro transportation services. The airport complex plans to promote goods and other auxiliary works.

The first phase involves the construction of a modern passenger terminal of 720,000 square meters in size, and is scheduled to be completed in 2018, the spokeswoman said. The King Abdul Aziz International Airport is located 19 kms north of Jeddah and is the busiest airport in Saudi Arabia. That’s why the new airport is planning to upgrade the passenger experience through technology, in order to provide passengers with a series of ground services from entry into the airport till boarding.

She noted that in anticipation of high traffic growth, a three-phase expansion project is currently under way to eventually increase the airport capacity to 80 million passengers a year.

As the main gateway for the Kingdom's main commercial hub and the second largest city, it is an important hub for business travelers, tourists and connects Jeddah with other cities in Saudi Arabia as well as the rest of the world, in addition to its proximity to the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah. The airport hosts more than 60 domestic and international airlines in the passenger and cargo terminals, including the national carrier. In 2016, the airport dealt with 31 million passengers.

In line with the Kingdom Vision 2030 there are plans to develop a sustainable aviation sector and a diverse workforce, for which training will be a key feature of the group's program and will focus on preparing the team to move to a new station and build a talent pool to support and lead the transition to a high-performance air hub.

Ching explained that the new partnership between Changi Airports International and the Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) is being forged for the second time following the success of the King Fahd International Airport management and operation Project in Dammam from 2008.

The group is working with partners after being contracted to operate the new King Abdul Aziz International Airport, to the fullest capacity in order to inaugurate the airport next year.

A management team has been set up to be responsible for the operation and development of the new airport. "We try as much as possible to provide an excellent new opportunity to upgrade our service, and we want to ensure that all guests have a smooth experience," she said.

"We are preparing for operational readiness and airport transfer program. Building a terminal is just the first step in establishing the airport before it is launched. We need to develop the required procedures and processes and thoroughly test all facilities, systems, machines and devices."

The Changi Airports International won the contract of operation, management and development of King Abdul Aziz International Airport for 20 years, and the company has stamped its mark in more than 50 airports in more than 20 countries.