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King Khaled International Airport in Riyadh took the leading position in August among international airports handling 15 mn or more passengers annually, according to aviation regulator Gaca’s monthly report. This marks a turnaround from the previous month, which saw Jeddah’s King Abdulaziz International Airport lead the category.
The methodology: The aviation watchdog evaluates 11 metrics relating to passenger experience, including waiting times for travel procedures, time spent collecting baggage and at passport and customs controls, access for travelers with limited mobility, as well as other internationally recognized criteria.
The breakdown:
- In the 5-15 mn passenger category, Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah ranked first, followed by King Fahd International Airport in Dammam.
- Abha International Airport in Asir topped the 2-5 mn passenger group, followed by King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Jizan.
- Al-Ahsa International Airport topped the category for airports with fewer than 2 mn passengers, outperforming its peers in terms of waiting times for departures and arrivals.
- Qurayyat Airport led the domestic airports category.
REMEMBER- King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh set a new record for passenger traffic in July, with 3.5 mn visitors, up from a previous high of 3.1 mn in June. Seat occupancy rates at the airport logged 91% during the month.
National carrier Saudia had the fewest complaints among the Kingdom’s airlines in August, with 13 complaints per 100k passengers and a 100% on-time resolution rate, according to a separate Gaca report. Meanwhile, Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport had the lowest complaint rate among major international airports with annual passenger traffic above 6 mn people, logging just 5 complaints for the month with a 100% on-time resolution rate.
