Saudi authorities have started work on the new Qunfudah Airport, the fourth one for the Makkah region and 28th in the kingdom.

The airport, to come up on a 24-million sq m area, will be able to accommodate half a million passengers annually, and handle five flights per hour, said the Saudi Gazette.

Qunfudah Airport will have a passenger lounge with an area of more than 20,340 sq m. It will be operational within two years, stated Emir of Makkah Prince Khaled Al Faisal after laying the foundation stone for the project.

Prince Khaled said the site for the airport was delivered to the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), which has completed studies with regard to the project.

“Studies involving 14 sites were carried out until the current location, spread over 24 million sq m, in north Qunfudah was chosen,” he added. n