Saudi Arabia has unveiled a masterplan for a major expansion at the Abha International airport.
The project will involve its terminal area expanding to 65,000 sqm, compared to 10,500 sqm currently existing at the airport, as part of the first phase which is expected to be completed by 2028.
The airport’s capacity will also increase to accommodate over 13 million passengers annually – a nearly tenfold increase from its current 1.5 million capacity.
Furthermore, it will handle more than 90,000 flights per year, a significant increase from its current capability of 30,000 flights per year.
The project involves the construction of passenger boarding bridges, self-service facilities for streamlined travel, and high-capacity parking facilities.
It will also feature 20 gates, along with 41 check-in counters with seven new self-service check-in points.
The masterplan was launched this week by Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, and Chairman of the Council of Economic and Development Affairs.
The upgraded airport will have an architectural identity that resonates the heritage of the Asir region, and is expected to enhance tourism to the region.
The latest announcement comes in the backdrop of a concerted push by the kingdom to strengthen its aviation sector in order to achieve the goals of its Saudi Vision 2030 which envisage increasing air connectivity to 250 destinations and transporting 330 million passengers.
New Riyadh airport to accommodate 120 million travellers by 2030
Apart from introducing new airlines such as Riyadh Air, a few months ago the kingdom also revealed plans for a mega airport to be built in its capital city of Riyadh. The King Salman International Airport is expected to become one of the world’s largest airports covering an area of approximately 57 sq km, allowing for six parallel runways. That airport aims to accommodate up to 120 million travellers by 2030.
(Images: Sourced from Saudi Press Agency’s Twitter)
