King Abdul Aziz International Airport has began operation with state-of-the-art facilities and the capability to processes the largest number of passengers during a single period, that of the annual Hajj Pilgrimage. As the entry point to Jeddah and the Holy City of Makkah, the airport’s expansion is key to meeting the demand from religious tourism. Approximately 2.5 million people visit during the Hajj period and this is expected to rise to 4 million over the next few years. The Airport has a complex travel halls with an area of 810,000 msq allowing all air carrier to operate under one roof. KAIA has 46 gates for international and domestic flights including large winged gates in addition to 94 mobile bridges of different sizes at a count of 2 bridges per gate. The airport also features a 130 m-high observation tower, one of the largest in the world and one of the most advanced passage luggage-handling system with a length of 34.6 km.
KAIA is KSA’s busiest airport and the 3rd largest. It is mostly known for its Hajj Terminal facilitating access to Holy Makkah during Hajj and all year round. The new KAIA includes a mosque built to accommodate above 3,000 worshippers with an outside prayer area for an additional 2,450 in addition to an upper female floor able to accommodate 700.
Pascall+Watson and Areen Design collaborated with Atkins to design and deliver the new £5.1bn terminal adding 760,000 msq state-of-the-art passenger terminal, a luxury airside hotel and ancillary buildings to boost airport capacity to 30 million passengers each year.
As part of our ongoing association with the airport, Pascall+Watson is also appointed to develop the wayfinding design across the airport, including the associated rail and road transportation facilities. Mimar International, the Group’s fit out contracting subsidiary in Saudi Arabia as well as manufacturing subsidiaries Top Factory, A-metal, and Metal Artwork all contributed to the project providing procurement of all FF&E and execution of all fit out, architectural and decorative works.
