Surging passenger numbers is fuelling demand for the expansion of the region’s aviation infrastructure, which the GCC is striving to meet with showpiece airports involving billions of dollars in investment.

Although the Middle East ranks fourth out of six regions globally in terms of total investment value, it is by far the biggest market for the average spend per airport project, according to a report by Frost & Sullivan.

The total value of airport infrastructure investment programmes in the region in 2015 was $84.5 billion of the total global value of $544 billion. However, the average project in the region was worth $1.32 billion, compared to $350 million in the Asia-Pacific region and $190 million in North America, the research firm indicates.

 In 2015, the Middle East had a total of 64 active airport investment programmes, which include new airport development, expansion and modernisation.

According to the international airport consultancy Hunter Douglas, the GCC is fuelling $100 billion in airport expansion and construction projects to meet passenger growth which according to the International Air Transport Association is projected to grow by 4.9 per cent per year to 2034.

Leading the way is the UAE, which has mega developments under way in Dubai and Abu Dhabi as well as in the other Northern Emirates. Saudi Arabia too has launched big-ticket projects in Jeddah and Riyadh, as well as other domestic and international projects elsewhere in the kingdom. Similarly all the GCC states, from Kuwait in the north to Oman in the south, have embarked on expanding their airport infrastructure.

UAE 

Dubai is guided by the vision of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, who has said that “we are not building the largest airport in the world, we are building the aviation capital of the world”, according to Khalifa Al Zaffin, executive chairman of Dubai Aviation City Corporation.

In his keynote address at the recent Global Airport Leaders’ Forum (GALF) held in May, Al Zaffin said that the aviation sector is expected to contribute over 32 per cent to Dubai’s gross domestic product (GDP) by 2020, and with the rapid growth in the sector, the emirate is spearheading plans to effectively and efficiency handle the growth.

A showpiece development is Al Maktoum International Airport (AMIA), which lies at the heart of the emirate’s airport city Dubai South. The airport opened in June 2010 for cargo operations followed by passenger flights in October 2013. Already an expansion of its passenger terminal building has been launched with the appointment of Al Jaber LEGT Engineering and Contracting as the contractor.

Under the contract awarded in March by Dubai Aviation Engineering Projects (DAEP), the contractor will increase the built-up area of the terminal from the existing 66,107 sq m to 145,926 sq m. The project to be completed by June 2017, marks the first phase of an expansion that will see the airport handle up to 26.5 million passengers per year by 2025.

As part of the proposed expansion work of the passenger terminal, the arrival building will feature a new immigration hall for 55 control counters, and visa and passenger utilities. The departure building will see the expansion of the public hall, commercial areas and offices as well as the check-in hall which will house 64 check-in counters. An additional 10 counters will be specifically dedicated to business check-in.

A new tender, to expand the airport to be able to handle 120 million passengers a year, is also expected to be announced shortly. It is part of a plan to grow Al Maktoum International to its ultimate capacity of 220 million passengers per year.

Among other developments at Dubai South, what is described as the world’s first seven-star facility dedicated to private aviation began operations in April this year at its Aviation District.

Dubai South – formerly known as Dubai World Central – is a 145-sq-km master-planned city which will be the site of the World Expo 2020 that is expected to attract 25 million visitors. 

Meanwhile, work was completed in February on the new Dh4.5-billion ($1.22 billion) Concourse D at the Dubai International Airport (DIA). The 150,000-sq-m facility is deemed the world’s first airport green building to receive the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC). 

Fully dedicated for the operation of all other airlines apart from Emirates or Flydubai at DIA, the concourse has a capacity of up to 18 million passengers annually – boosting DIA’s capacity to over 90 million – and is connected by 17 gates.

Concourse D will be linked to Terminal One via a new elevated 1.50-km automated people mover (APM) system that was specifically built to shuttle all passengers from and to the terminal where they get processed (check-in and security) on departure and on arrival mainly for immigration and baggage reclaim. Terminal One has been enhanced and reconfigured to allow for a better processing of passengers and accommodate the new APM station that links to Concourse D.

Elsewhere in the UAE, Abu Dhabi International Airport’s Midfield Terminal Building (MTB) has been making significant progress, with the work now said to be more than 73 per cent complete.

Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC) recently announced the successful completion of the steel structure on the central processor roof of the new Dh19-billion ($5.17 billion) MTB. It also indicated that the final de-propping has been completed of the last arch in the roof of the terminal building, meaning that the structure is now completely self-supporting. 

Work is now progressing on the closure of the building envelope and fit-out of the four piers. The baggage-handling system is near completion and is expected to be finished by the end of this year while work on the airside of the airport and on the terminal’s car park is 70 per cent complete. Work will begin shortly on the retail units at the duty free area of the MTB.

When complete, the MTB, along with the existing terminals at Abu Dhabi International Airport, will serve the increasing number of passengers who fly through the UAE capital each year – a number expected to surpass 45 million within the next 10 years.

ADAC is targeting a December 2017 opening date for the terminal.

Meanwhile, Ras Al Khaimah International Airport is expected to launch construction work on its expansion next year to increase its capacity to 3.5 million passengers a year up from 1.5 million currently.

Saudi Arabia

Construction work is well advanced on the expansion of King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah. Under the first phase, which is being undertaken at a cost $7.2 billion, the airport will see its capacity boosted to 30 million passengers annually from the current 17 million. Spanning an area of 670,000 sq m, the airport will have two new terminals for domestic and international passengers. The facility is likely to be ready for international operations by the middle of 2017.

Work is also under way on the expansion of the King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, which recently saw the launch of partial operations of a new terminal. Spread over 100,000 sq m, Terminal Five has a capacity to handle 12 million passengers per year and will be used to cater to domestic routes (see separate article). 

Work on the airport also includes an upgrade and expansion of two terminals – Three and Four, the demolition and reconstruction of the aprons, construction of terminal lounges and operation buildings, and installation of baggage handling and security systems. The project, which is the first phase of the estimated $4.5-billion plan to develop the airport, is due to be completed in May 2019. 

A new airport is also being built in Abha to accommodate five million passengers per year while another new facility has been planned for Jizan. 

Saudi Arabia is expected to use the privatisation of $1.2-billion Prince Mohammed Bin Abdul Aziz International Airport in Madinah as the template for pursuing its ambitions for its aviation sector. The facility, which is the first privately developed airport in Saudi Arabia, has been built under a 25-year build-operate-transfer (BOT) concession.

Bahrain

Work is under way on the $1.1-billion Airport Modernisation Programme (AMP) of Bahrain International Airport, to expand the facility and increase its capacity to accommodate 14 million passengers a year. The AMP involves the construction of a new 207,000-sq-m terminal including a 4,600-sq-m departure hall, 104 check-in counters, 36 passport control booths and 24 security screening points. 

Work is set to start on the main works package of Phase One and long-lead packages. A new fire station, fuelling facilities and a security gate are currently under construction and are scheduled for completion shortly. 

The arrival section will have 10 customs screening points, 1,000 sq m of duty-free, eight baggage carousels and 34 passport control booths. The AMP will have parking space to accommodate more than 7,000 vehicles, 9,000 sq m of duty free, retail outlets, premium spas and a 2,500-sq-m lounge with an open terrace. 

The new terminal is aiming for Leed (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold certification, which will make it just the second airport in the region after Saudi Arabia’s Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah to secure the global rating.   The project is funded by the GCC Development Fund and is expected to be completed by the third quarter of 2019.

Kuwait

Kuwait has awarded Turkey’s Limak Group and its local agent, Kharafi National, a contract to build a new airport terminal at a cost of KD1.31 billion ($4.34 billion), according to the Public Works Minister Ali Al Omair.

The minister said the project will be completed over six years and will raise the capacity of the airport to 25 million passengers from the current five million passengers.

Meanwhile, the Directorate of Civil Aviation is planning to build a smaller terminal alongside the present airport by 2017. The new terminal, capable of catering to five million additional passengers will reduce the pressure on the present airport and increase the total capacity of Kuwait International Airport to 10 million passengers a year, said Yousef Al Fouzan, Director-General of Civil Aviation.

Oman

Construction work on a terminal for the new Muscat International Airport is expected to be completed by the year-end.

On completion, the new airport will be able to cater to around 12 million passengers every year and receive the largest aircraft which are currently in service across the world, as the new runway is 4 km long and 75 m wide. 

A study is also being carried out to boost the capacity of the airport from 12 million passengers per year to over 20 million passengers and subsequently to 48 million passengers, according to the Oman Observer.

Work is also progressing on the sultanate’s other regional airports at Sohar, Duqm and Ras Al Hadd where the phases One and Two have been completed. 

Sohar and Duqm airports are currently operational from a temporary terminal building. The passenger terminal building contractor for Duqm Airport commenced work recently, while the ministry is finalising the procedures with regards to the third package of Sohar Airport, stated the report.

Qatar

Qatar has plans to double the size of its new Hamad International Airport (HIA), which opened last year with a 471,000-sq-m terminal and 33 contact gates and several “remote” gates.

Among plans envisaged for the expansion are a new drop-off area for premium passengers, wide concourses with more natural light and a connection to the Doha Metro to be built by 2020. Additionally, a new 45,000-sq-m passenger amenity area – with features such as a museum, spa, children’s play area, garden, library, gym, outdoor dining and lounges – is being planned for the northern part of the terminal.

The existing facility currently has a capacity of 30 million passengers annually, but will need to be expanded in time for the 2022 World Cup to accommodate the huge number of passengers on peak days.