The number of pilgrims traveling through King Abdul Aziz International Airport in Jeddah in the last few days of Ramadan and Eid Al-Fitr is expected to increase to close to 35,000 travelers daily.

A total of about 875,000 pilgrims are expected to travel over the next 25 days until the middle of Shawwal, according to KAIA Director General Abdul Hameed Abalarry.

As of last Monday, all 14 Haj and Umrah terminals were converted to departure terminals only. “The terminals at the airport have all been completed for the approaching high season, which will last through the end of Ramadan until mid-Shawwal,” said Abalarry.

Airport traffic is expected to increase by 20 percent compared to last year due to the increase in the arrival of pilgrims from inside and outside the Kingdom, as well as increased travel movement during the summer season.

The second phase of Umrah and summer vacation travel began during the month of Shaaban. Accordingly, all Haj and Umrah halls were prepared to absorb the increase in movement, said Abalarry.

He noted that the percentage of travel in the airport exceeded 12 percent in the past year, while the arrival of travelers to perform Haj decreased by about 20 percent as a result of the regulations associated with the ongoing construction plans in Makkah and Madinah.

Meanwhile, the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) confirmed its commitment to completing the first phase of the new King Abdul Aziz International Airport by the end of this year. The trial phase is expected to be launched during the first half of the coming year.

“By the middle of next year, the first phase of the airport will begin to operate with a capacity to absorb 30 million travelers annually,” GACA said. “The second phase of the airport will have the capacity to absorb 45 million travelers annually.”

 
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