The upgrade of King Abdulaziz International Airport here is 85 percent complete and would open on schedule in mid-2016.

This is according to a report in a local publication on Wednesday, which said that the arrival and departure halls include 220 counters for airlines. Areas for planes to park are also being completed.

The new facility will have a 136-meter-high control tower, and additional overpasses and roads linked to the main thoroughfares. The overpasses have been built by the General Authority for Civil Aviation (GACA).

It will have a 33-km-long baggage system to handle an estimated 30 million passengers and 90 planes at more than 46 gates. Each gate will be connected to departure and arrival halls, in addition to car parks, to eliminate congestion and overcrowding.

Meanwhile, the GACA, with Jeddah Gov. Prince Mishaal bin Majed, launched a 21-day exhibition on Wednesday to inform city residents about the major projects underway in the city.

Prince Mishaal was welcomed by Faisal Al-Sugeir, the GACA president, and Wael bin Mohammad Al-Sarhan, assistant president of corporate telecommunications and marketing. The governor was briefed on the timetable for the completion of the airport.

Al-Sugeir said the GACA decided to participate in the exhibition because it was one of the biggest construction projects in the country and affected residents and visitors. The GACA had used social media to publicize the event.

He said the work is expected to be completed by mid-2016 because several critical stages have already been implemented. The first phase of the project included the building of passenger halls, and a control tower to monitor air traffic with a supporting building.

The other first phase projects included the main rescue building, a crisis management center, two centers for data, a building for meteorology, ground maintenance center, control center for Saudi Arabian Airlines, passenger autowalks and baggage carousels, five radio stations, and car parks for first class and business class passengers, he said.

The second phase includes the transport center, the train station that will be connected to the high-speed Al-Haramain railway lines, a tunnel for ground equipment underneath the central runway, passenger halls, a yard for private planes, a building for flight safety, and a building for control equipment.