Summary

• The new Riyadh airport is set to become a huge transport and tourism hub for the country and the wider region.
• Four strategic partners have been selected to plan and develop the airport, which will have six runways.
• Dubai is expanding Al Maktoum International Airport to maintain its status as a mega hub in the Middle East.

The King Salman International Airport Development Company in Riyadh has announced four new strategic partnerships to help the airport enter the next phase of its development and transform it into a mega hub for transportation and tourism in Riyadh, supporting Saudi Arabia’s development plans and boosting the economy across the region.

From new terminals and airport facilities to improved use of airspace for greater efficiency, the airport is set to become the benchmark for future airport developments worldwide.

Four partners

Among the many companies funded by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF) is the King Salman International Airport Development Company (KSIADC), which is responsible for the development of the King Salman International Airport (KSIA), which is intended to serve as a central hub for tourism in the country.

To advance the next phase of airport development, KSIADC has announced four strategic companies known for their “world-class design and engineering” as partners for this project:

1. Foster + Partner

2. Jacob

3. Mace

4. Black

Award-winning architectural firm Foster + Partners will be responsible for designing the airport’s master plan, which will cover a total area of ​​57 square kilometres and include several terminal buildings and a whopping six runways. Engineering firm Jacobs will provide specialist consultancy services for the master plan and runway designs.

Mace, a leading consultancy and construction company, will implement global best practices and innovative methodologies during the design and construction phases. Nera, a Saudi Arabia-based company specialising in technical and operational solutions for aviation, will be responsible for the design of the airspace with the aim of improving air traffic flow and making flight operations more efficient.

As Airport World reports, Mace Consult CEO Davendra Dabasia says:

“King Salman International Airport is a groundbreaking infrastructure programme. The ambition of the programme’s physical construction and its commitment to sustainability, innovation and economic development are unmatched.”

Not the only airport

While the architectural firm Foster + Partners is heavily involved in the development of KSIA, the company (together with other firms such as Sasaki) is also working on the old airport in Athens, Greece.

In this case, however, the company is working to transform the old Ellinikon international coastal airport, which has been abandoned for over two decades, into a renewed green space for the city of Athens. The goal is to transform the former airport into the largest coastal park in all of Europe.

The area is to be transformed into green parks with several districts, with the individual districts being self-sustaining and interconnected in a sustainable manner and connected to Athens via various public transport options.

Another airport in the Middle East

Back to the Middle East, while Saudi Arabia is working towards completing the KSIA by 2030, another airport is being built in close proximity. While Saudi Arabia is looking to develop into a major hub, Dubai wants to maintain its status as the mega hub of the Middle East and is currently working on expanding the city’s second airport – Al Maktoum International Airport. also known as Dubai World Central Airport (DWC).

While the airport currently handles very little passenger traffic and focuses heavily on cargo operations, it is expected to become the largest airport in the world after the $35 billion expansion with over 400 gates.

Considering the current airport, Dubai International Airport (DXB) is the busiest international airport in the world, and the home airlines, Emirate And Flight Dubai expect a total of over 500 aircraft in the coming years, so the capacity that the new airport will offer must be increased.