Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) expects its main hub at Jeddah’s new King Abdulaziz International airport to become fully operational by April 2019.

Until then, the airline will continue to operate flights from both the new and old airports, sources with knowledge of the planned transition tells MEED.

It is understood that French firm Egis Group is supporting Saudia’s operational readiness and airport transfer (Orat) programme as it aims to transition all flights originating from Jeddah into the new airport.

The first commercial flight landed on 29 May at the new airport, marking the beginning of a four-phase launch plan for the $7.2bn facility.

Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (Gaca) expects the new Jeddah airport to enter full commercial operations early next year.

Gaca is presiding over the airport’s soft launch following the termination in February of the 20-year operation and management contract it awarded in April 2017 to Changi Airports Saudi Arabia (Casa), a joint venture of Singapore-based Changi Airports International (CAI) and local firm Saudi Naval Services.

Gaca did not specify a reason for the contract’s termination and is yet to retender the contract, which has been tendered twice.

King Abdulaziz International airport is Saudi Arabia’s largest in terms of passenger traffic, handling 34 million passengers in 2017, a 9 per cent increase on 2016.

In 2010, Gaca awarded local Saudi Binladin Group two contracts worth a combined $7.2bn for the overhaul of the existing airport terminal and the construction of a new one. The new terminal has a design capacity of 30 million passengers annually.