SAUDI ARABIA. TAV Airports has struck a 30-year contract with the Civil Aviation Authority of Saudi Arabia (GACA) to operate and expand Yanbu Prince Abdul Mohsin bin Abdulaziz International Airport. With its partner Al Rajhi Group, TAV will construct a new terminal at the airport, which lies close to the Red Sea.
Yanbu Airport is the second airport in Saudi Arabia to be operated by TAV; it already runs Madinah Airport and has operations at Jeddah, Riyadh and Dammam airports through its service companies.
With an anticipated 1.2 million passengers in 2017, Yanbu Airport will reach three million passengers a year after the construction of the new terminal.
TAV Airports President & CEO Sani Şener said: “TAV has become one of the world’s highly-preferred brands thanks to the know-how acquired in airport construction and operation business. TAV has its signature in the capital city airports of six countries in the Gulf region, which has become the most challenging market of the world lately.
“TAV’s success in the Madinah Airport project, which was the first airport privatisation project in Saudi Arabia, opened new doors in this country. We are glad to reach an agreement with GACA regarding the expansion and operation of Yanbu Airport on the west side of the country. Yanbu is an important industrial hub hosting the oil refineries and the world’s second busiest port. Located by the Red Sea, Yanbu also has a serious tourism potential, particularly thanks to its underwater treasures.
“On the other hand, its proximity to both Mecca and Medina [makes] Yanbu of significant importance in terms of Hajj and Umrah traffic. We will endeavour to be a true representative of the country and realise the potential of Yanbu Airport.”
This will be TAV’s 15th airport operation.
