Arab News (http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1&section=0&article=91794&d=5&m=2&y=2007&pix=kingdom.jpg&category=Kingdom)

Riyadh Area to Have Two New Airports
Arab News

JEDDAH, 5 February 2007 — Efforts are under way to establish two new domestic airports in the Riyadh region. The High Commission for the Development of Riyadh (HCDR) is looking for suitable sites on which to establish the airports which will be located on the north and southeast parts of the city.

One airport will be established in Sudair, northwest of Riyadh, in order to meet the requirements of people living in Al-Ghat, Zulfi, Majmaa and neighboring villages. The second airport will be in Aflaj to serve the people of Houta and Hareek, informed sources said.

The new airports will reduce pressure on Riyadh’s King Khaled International Airport. “The move to establish two more airports in the region comes at a time of reports that air traffic to Riyadh will increase by three percent annually since it is the headquarters of the Gulf Cooperation Council,” one source said.

At present there are three civilian airports in the Riyadh region. The Dawadmi airport, named for Riyadh Gov. Prince Salman, is 250 km west of Riyadh and was opened three years ago.

Riyadh is one of the fastest-growing cities in the Middle East. In less than 50 years its area has expanded more than 100 times. During this period, its population increased from 20,000 to nearly five million. According to a new book, Riyadh’s population growth rate is one of the highest in the world.

Another study by HCDR revealed that the growth in Riyadh’s population has been due to increased birth rates and also by a continuing wave of migration into the city by Saudis from different parts of the Kingdom. The study showed that Riyadh’s population has increased by 120 percent during the last few years. The population of the city is projected to exceed 11.1 million by 2020.

The new airports will also boost domestic tourism as Al-Ghat is home to a number of historic landmarks, which could be developed for tourism purposes.

There is a palace built by Nasser ibn Saad Al-Sudairy more than 85 years ago when he was governor of the city. It is considered of great architectural interest. The Riyadh Development Authority has set out a plan to develop the palace.

Other tourist attractions in the area are Aushaza Mosque, which is 400 years old, and the National Park.

The new airport projects augur well for the licensing of two private domestic airlines. The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) licensed National Air Services (NAS) and Sama in December last year to operate domestic flights in the Kingdom.

^^ Does Riyadh really need to have two more airports when it already has the world's second largest airport (King Khalid International Airport--3-runway air facility on 225 square kilometers of land)? :?

My understanding is that these two new airports won't be anywhere near the city itself. I think Riyadh region is a pretty large area considering the fact that the article mentions Dawadmi Airport which is 250km from the city.

If they're planning to build these IN the Riyadh city then they're definitely not needed IMHO. The current airport KKIA has one spare terminal as of now - which isn't being used. It has a total of 5 terminals:
(1) Domestic
(2) International (Saudia Airline)
(3) International (Foreign Airlines)
(4) Royal Terminal (which is on the opposite side)
and finally
(5) the unused terminal.

Weird country ! They wanna build new excessive airports when they still got miserable airports in most other major cities. What a way to through money away !

^^ agree, saudi arabia is the largest country in the region with a large labor force and lots of cash. there is already too many countries (all countries) in the region trying to become a tourist or aviation hub. if saudi arabia enters the race then it will not win and all the 4 competeing countries would just waste their money. i think the money should be spent on building industries, upgrading the infrastructure and quality education. they also need to force their citizens to fully participate in the labor force.

Weird country ! They wanna build new excessive airports when they still got miserable airports in most other major cities. What a way to through money away !


LOL :lol:

There is only Jeddah international airport, which needs to process e blood. It is also, according to informed on the design of the airport Capricorn d in Jeddah will be very huge akin to a small city. . The new airports in Riyadh would be small and would not T. many charged .

Weird country ! They wanna build new excessive airports when they still got miserable airports in most other major cities. What a way to through money away !


Quick Facts:

- I've been to at least 10 Saudi Aiports. All of which were in decent condition except for Jeddah Aiport (as Mr Grosso said).

- Jeddah, Najran, Tabouk, Yanbou and Madina airports will all be expanded.

- The two new airports are in Riyadh Region, not Riyadh City.

- Sudair is about 200 km north of Riyadh. For you who don't know, there are plans to build a mega industrial city in Sudiar.

- Hawtah is also 200 km but South of Riyadh. And btw, Hawtah has oil fields that produce 400,000 bpd of Arabian Super Light oil with many facilities and plants.

Oh...ok.

Gee, I didn't know there was such a place as a Riyadh Region! :D

Since Sudair and Hawtah are each 200 kilometers away from Riyadh City, then I guess it's okay for them to build airports in these places.

Anyway, thanks for the infos. :cheers2:

Btw, are Sudair and Hawtah cities or regions? :D :?

Btw, are Sudair and Hawtah cities or regions? :D :?

First of all, they should have used the word provience instead of region or area.

Sudair is a region but it is in Riyadh providence. The main city in Sudair is Majmaa.

Hawtan is a city.

^^do you know how popolition in each Sudair and Hawtah? it should be more 200,000 to build small airport in there!

Sudiar Airport wil serve the following areas:
Majma'a: 111,503
Zulfi: 62,904
Roumah: 25,312
Thadig: 15,221
Ghat: 10,235
Shagra: 34,543
TOTAL: 259,718

http://i5.tinypic.com/2wmnbx3.jpg

---------------------------------------------------------

Hawtah Airport will serve the following areas:
Hawtah: 39,719
Hareeq: 13,426
Kharj: 323,394
Muzahmia: 35,795
Aflaj: 60,046
TOTAL: 472,380

http://i18.tinypic.com/2evdb9x.jpg

---------------------------------------------------------

General Riyadh Providence map:

http://i18.tinypic.com/2qwpvza.jpg

.Black dots indicated existing airports locations.
.Red dots indicated proposed airports locations

they dont need so many airports in riyadh

^ read the posts first!

^
^

LOL :lol:

YeMeNi :nuts:

oops :nuts:

A small airport for the Aflaj and Hawtah regions makes sense. the nearest airport to Aflaj is 300km away. And there is already a general aviation airport used by Aramco which is located between Hawtah town and Layla, putting a passenger terminal there would make sense. As for the Sudair airport, all I can say it's great having such strong influence. Most travel will be to Riyadh, and Riyadh is only a two hour drive away. What's the point in flying there? No great time savings. Plus Qasseem airport isn't far away if they want to fly. It makes no sense.

^^^ Mar7abteen HiJazzey. I agree with what your saying. I think opening more airports for shuttle point to hub destination is a good idea. They should be more or less like the regional airports in the US, where the small regional airliners like US Express, TED, or AA Eagle operate.

Also, I am surprised that some airports dont operate regionally (ie. internationally) like Tabook airport for example. The only way to fly from Tabook to Amman is via Riyadh. Driving there would be much faster. I know there are plans to have Medina airport to be used Internationally, but its already done seasonally and Medina is an important city for international scheduled flights (at least regionally).

Opening up domestic airports to international flights will definetly increase demand for more jets and increase passenger growth.

I mean, Saudi Arabian airlines is already taken delievery of its first Airbus A32X jets in a loooooong time (leased from Onur Air?), to be used domestically and regionally.

Why don't they build a modern & complex railway system all over the country. I am sure funding is not a problem.

they are working on the landbridge though there hasnt been any news of late.

Why don't they build a modern & complex railway system all over the country. I am sure funding is not a problem.

Maybe there is nostalgia due to the hejaz railway? ;)

Railways are not cheap, in fact they are very expensive. Their large capital costs and fixed overheads (maintenance etc..) mean you have to work them very hard for them to make financial sense. What that means is lots of cargo and lots of passengers. A lightly used line will heamorage serious money. Railways are viable in densely populated corridors, or areas where there is sufficient volume of freight. The landbridge project will rely on the freight side of things. The Medina-Makkah railway on large passenger volumes.

Mara7eb Halawala,

sorry for late reply. Yes, I agree that they should make more airports available for international service. But in the end it's down to demand. I think other than Medina, all the other cities can only support seasonal or charter service. Abha BTW has international flights in the summer. Regarding regional service, I think there should be more regional service, but not to the ridiculous degree they have in the states. Something like turboprop service from Abha to small destinations in the south, and likewise from Qaseem to small destinations in the north.

Railways are not cheap, in fact they are very expensive. Their large capital costs and fixed overheads (maintenance etc..) mean you have to work them very hard for them to make financial sense. What that means is lots of cargo and lots of passengers. A lightly used line will heamorage serious money. Railways are viable in densely populated corridors, or areas where there is sufficient volume of freight. The landbridge project will rely on the freight side of things. The Medina-Makkah railway on large passenger volumes.

Railways (at least in the majority of the world) operate by profits from freight than the less profitable segment of passengers. In the US, for example, majority of the tracks are owned by freight companies like Canadian Pacific, Union Pacific etc. which the passenger services use.

Though I could see a point in expanding money for making railways but don't we always have to invest "capital" for infrastructure of any sort? Do you think airline travel is cheap? I can assure you aircrafts cost more to buy and maintain than trains.

The billions that saudia is reaping in free profits over the oil boom should be used for some good...