Saudi Arabia launches $426m airport upgrade in Eastern Province
Eastern Region Governor Prince Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz has inaugurated the new identity and master plan for King Fahd International Airport, along with the master plans for Al-Ahsa and Al-Qaisumah international airports.
The announcement was made during a ceremony that also saw the launch of the Dammam Airports Strategy and a comprehensive package of infrastructure and development initiatives. Valued at more than SAR1.6bn ($426m), the package includes 77 projects aimed at improving operational efficiency and enhancing the passenger experience.
As part of the launch, the governor announced a new national low-cost airline, Air Arabia, which will be based at King Fahd International Airport. The carrier is expected to serve 24 domestic and 57 international destinations. He also inaugurated newly installed electronic gates to streamline passenger processing at the airport.
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The event was attended by Minister of Transport and Logistic Services and Chairman of the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), Saleh Al-Jasser; GACA President Abdulaziz Al-Duailej; and Director General of Passports, Major General Dr. Saleh Al-Murabba.
Passenger intake
The strategic development plan for King Fahd International Airport aims to accommodate more than 19.3 million passengers annually by 2030, more than double the number recorded in 2022. It also targets a significant expansion in air cargo handling, increasing capacity to over 600,000 tonnes per year—a 1,000 per cent increase—as part of the airport's transformation into a regional logistics hub aligned with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030.
Planned upgrades include boosting the airport's operational capacity to manage 77 aircraft movements per hour and raising annual passenger handling capacity to 32 million. Additional improvements are planned for general aviation facilities and supporting infrastructure to meet global standards.
By the end of 2024, King Fahd International Airport had recorded a 35 per cent increase in passenger traffic compared to 2022.
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