GACA’s President: This is the highest growing sector in the region and the number of jobs expected to exceed half a million jobs

His Excellency, Mr. Abdulhadi Al Mansouri, President of the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) participated in the Saudi Logistics Conference organized by the Ministry of Transportation today in the capital city of Riyadh through a panel discussion entitled "Plans to transform services into an integrated digital system to raise competitiveness".

He pointed out that the airport industry is one of the greatest tributaries of economies around the world, and that the civil aviation sector in the Kingdom has a direct impact on the GDP.  He pointed out that modern airports technologies play a pivotal role in the air transport industry and improve the service experience of passengers, numbering over 100 million annually.  The number is expected to increase as the e-tourist visa recipients materialize. He went on to say, that more than half a million jobs related to the civil aviation sector can be generated.

His Excellency stressed that the growth rate of the civil aviation sector in the Kingdom is the highest in the region at an 8% annually for the previous years. He pointed out to the presence of 28 airports in the Kingdom, including 15 that can receive international flights. He noted that the new King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah Terminal 1, which was recently inaugurated by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, will be able to accommodate 45 to 50 million passengers and this capacity is one of the plans that GACA seeks to increase the number of passengers and provide the opportunity to visitors of the Kingdom, in addition to enable citizens to move freely between domestic destinations.

His Excellency went on to say that the passenger traffic at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh will increase by 10 million passengers after the inauguration of Terminal 3 and 4.

As for the role of technology in the aviation sector, he stressed that modern airport technologies play a pivotal role in the air transport industry, in order to improve the passenger experience and reduce the duration of inspection procedures and the receipt and delivery of luggage at the new King Abdulaziz International Airport.  This can be achieved by providing high-tech luggage conveyor-belts at a length of 34 km, which can accommodate in one hour 7800 bags for departures and 9000 bags for arriving flights.

As for GACA projects and plans for 2020, H.E explained that the GACA is contributing to many programs for the realization of the vision, such as the pilgrims’ program, the development of the National Industry and Logistics Program, in addition to tourism and entertainment.  He noted that these programs have already started on some initiatives, such as the completion of GACA efforts in the airport’s privatization drive.

He proceeded to say, “In fact, we started with two airports (King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and King Fahd Airport in Dammam) in addition to GACA work on the basis of Build, Transfer operate (BTO), which was used by the Madinah Airport Company.

He went on to say, that there are some of important projects and initiatives that the GACA is working on, including the completion of the expansion project of King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh Terminal 3 and 4, which will add 10 million passengers on its initial stage.

He pointed out that there is a work plan to support the private sector through the issuance of licenses for new companies, in order to raise the level of competitiveness, he pointed to one of those important projects, which GACA aspires to see come to light in the coming year.   This happens to be the Integrated Logistics Area at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, which will form a quantum leap and the beginning of the logistics platforms (ILBZ) in the Kingdom's airports.