13 June 2015
JEDDAH: The General Authority for Civil Aviation has approved a plan to develop Taif regional airport into an international facility.

Abdulaziz Saad Abu Harba, the newly appointed director general of Taif Airport, said that tenders would now be issued, according to a report in a local publication.

Abu Harba said the airport is close to several key locations including Souk Okaz, the Taif Housing Project, Taif University city project, and the Medical City project.

He said the new airport would see passengers access destinations in the Gulf including Sharjah, Dubai, Doha, Bahrain and Kuwait. There would also be flights to Istanbul, Cairo and other cities. Additional international operators are expected to come on board soon, he said.

More than 1 million passengers traveled through the airport last year, with about 400,000 people traveling to and from international destinations, and more than 3,000 on domestic flights. The airport has created direct jobs, and indirect economic activity through companies and organizations working with the airport and airlines.

Abu Harba said the airport has boosted tourism in Taif, with visitors from other cities in the Kingdom and Gulf countries visiting the city. The airport is also a top preference for those arriving for Umrah, due to its location before a miqat point.

He said there is ongoing coordination between government agencies including the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities and the Cultural and Arts Association to develop the airport and make it more attractive for visitors.

He said the new passenger halls would be in line with standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization, with a capacity to handle 5 million passengers annually, with the possibility of increasing this to 8 million in future.

One runway of 4.3 km would be developed to accommodate 4F aircraft. Further runways would be added in future if needed. He said tender documents are now being prepared for companies wanting to build and operate Taif International Airport.

© Arab News 2015