Jeddah Airports Company (Jedco) plans to transform King Abdulaziz International airport (KAIA) into one of the world’s largest airports with a $31bn expansion plan that will increase its capacity to 114 million passengers a year. The largest components of the plan cover the design and expansion of Terminal 1 and the construction of a new passenger terminal to be called Terminal 2. The expected completion date for the expansion project is 2031. The Terminal 1 project comprises basic infrastructure and enabling works, the installation of new gates, air bridges and parking aprons, the extension of the automatic people mover, new baggage conveyor systems and lounges, with the goal of increasing annual passenger capacity by 15 million. The Terminal 2 project aims to increase the airport’s total capacity to 114 million passengers a year, almost tripling the airport’s 40 million limit today. Due to start in 2026 and end by 2031, the project will involve constructing a completely new terminal building with dozens of gates, new taxiways, aprons, roads, utilities, and baggage handling and other software systems. It is likely to be worth in excess of $10bn to build. Jedco is also planning to construct a fourth runway starting in 2025 and completing by 2029 to cope with the increased traffic. Due to space limitations, the new runway will require substantive infrastructure relocation work to accommodate it. Passenger traffic-focused developments are not the only element of the plan. As part of growing the airport’s commercial proposition, the client is also due to start developing a new logistics area later this year. Covering more than 3 square kilometres, the facility will house new customs and service buildings as well as several leasable warehouses for the private sector. Construction of the facilities will be implemented in phases with an ultimate scheduled completion date of 2029. Concurrently, Jedco is building a new Hajj and Umrah terminal. Pilgrims comprise a large portion of passenger traffic, and the new arrivals and departures hall for budget airlines will be able to handle 15 million passengers a year. The project is expected to be completed by 2025. (ICE RIYADH)

Fonte notizia: Meed