Sign in
Matarat, NPC poll for investor interest in a new Abha Airport: The Saudi Civil Aviation Holding (Matarat) and the National Centre for Privatization & PPP (NCP) have called for expressions of interest for the new Abha International Airport project, they said in separate statements here and here. A request for qualification tender is expected to be released by 19 February 2024.
Why this matters: Abha Airport — the fifth largest airport in the Kingdom — is operating beyond its designated capacity of 1.5 mn passengers with 4.4 mn passengers annually.
Piqued your Interested? The project is being implemented on a build-transfer-operate (BTO) model with a concession period of 30 years, according to the invite posted on NPC’s webpage. Submissions will run until Wednesday 31 January 2024.
The new project will see to the development of:
- A new passenger terminal building, with a capacity to welcome over 13 mn passengers per year — target date: 2028;
- A new rapid exit taxiway on the airport’s current runway;
- A new apron for the new terminal;
- Access roads to the new terminal building;
- A new parking area
- Some supporting facilities, including an electrical substation expansion and a new sewage treatment plan, among other facilities.
The master plan for Abha airport project was unveiled in October 2023 by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
ICYMI- Abha is not the only one up for a tender:In April 2023, NCP had listed the airport among four new airport projects it intended to tender under the PPP model as part of a bigger pipeline of 200 privatization and PPP projects.
IN OTHER MATARAT NEWS- Matarat is unrolling its new bagless passenger services in the Kingdom: The service allows passengers to pre-ship their luggage to their destination to simplify travel-related-procedures, it said last week. The service will launch in the first quarter of this year.
