The good news about the new airport at Jeddah is a much heralded rejuvenation for a number of reasons. Traffic demand had long justified the need for the projected increased capacity. As much the expansion is a gift from the king, it is also the equivalent of a stamp of approval of the consistency in growth of commercial aviation in the region.
The Kingdom has already secured its rightful place as a benevolent leader in the league of nations. The reverence in the minds of Muslims worldwide will continue to hold high in esteem of the land of the Two Holy Mosques. Through the development of Jeddah as an ideal hub and nucleus of international air traffic, this is truly a fitting carryover and continuation of the aforementioned reverence that Muslims all over hold dearly.
As Muslims cherish a visit to the blessed land, the expectation is that such journeys, arguably the only one visit for many in their lifetime, will be seamless and joyous. This expectation is also consistent with the high position that the holy land and the Two Holy Mosques are identified with.
In other words, there is no conceivable way to underestimate or downplay the role of Jeddah airport amidst all international traffic centers worldwide. Inevitably, the sheer size of its traffic, or its diversity and unique nature of its traits will demand that Jeddah airport be the largest airport in the world. Additionally, quite like the adjustments made in Makkah every year, year in year out, the adjustments for growth at Jeddah airport, too, will be perpetual.
There is the risk that oversight may prevent anyone to see the accommodations for adjustments that are already being made in the city of Jeddah. But adjustments in everyday living in Jeddah are already a foregone conclusion. "Ajnabis" form the core of populace in the city of Jeddah. This is a reality emanating from that foregone conclusion. Tell-tale demographics of the city of Jeddah resonates with the aforementioned carryover in that this city is indeed "international" in insofar as its inhabitants, culture, diversity and the unparalleled unique hospitality it engenders.
In extrapolating this element of "adjustment" the city of Jeddah has been admirable in fostering, it is easy to foresee that, given the availability of infrastructure and logistics, Jeddah could eventually turn out to be the largest converging center of city/country traffic through its airport as well. Haj and Umrah Pilgrims alone will constitute a major portion of that traffic. It is a position that Jeddah will assume, not by choice but by sheer necessity alone.
In combining all of these dimensions, namely, one, the indispensability of seamless operation of Jeddah airport; two, the inevitability of Jeddah airport's position as the largest air traffic center and; three, time-honored acceptance of the city of Jeddah as the hospitable city -- is truly the harbinger of a sound and pulsating economic center in the context of commercial aviation.
How? All of the foregoing mesh well with contemporary findings of how growths in multiple industries are influenced by growth in commercial aviation, and more specifically, by investments made in the building or expansion of airports.
More often than not, analysts would like to draw thread from adverse effects of an experience as examples in order to prove a point. For example, we could enter into a discussion on how closeouts of airports like Bangkok (from political fallout) resulted in dire consequences on the country's economy. We need not delve into those tangents of negativity here.
The chart below shows how Aviation spending has an impact on other businesses. For purposes of brevity alone, we will remain focused on the positives here.
While the transportation sector benefits as much as 61% from investment on aviation, other industries are also direct beneficiaries.
Contemporary studies in developed countries have shown that there are direct co-relationships between growth and developments in commercial aviation and growth in other areas of the economy as well. Ironically, the line of causation of growth of a country's airline also originates from that area. The studies focus on the development of the air traffic center or hub as the source of that growth.
The reverse logic suggests that there is not any highly successful airline that can deny the success of its hub as a major factor contributing to its (airline) success. While success stories of airlines are inevitably tied with the success of its principal hub, impediments in the success of airlines, if not entirely their failures, are accentuated by the absence of an efficient hub.
Coincidentally, the top echelon in Saudia also feels that its resolute strides of efficiency and standard can be attained through competition as a result of increasing number of airlines operating into the Kingdom's airports including Jeddah. This is only possible with dramatic improvements in infrastructure, logistics and facilities at these airports.
For the present, we are elated at the prospect of the positive impacts that the investment on a new airport at Jeddah will usher in on what promises to be the largest converging or gateway point looked upon by its guests as providing efficient and seamless service. And where is its sharpest edge? Its sharpest edge will be in the gamut of state-of-the-start facilities and service that the new airport will be able to provide.
© Arab News 2011
