King Abdulaziz International Airport opens Hajj terminal

During the main pilgrimage month (Hajj) but also all year long for the Umra (small pilgrimage), the Hajj terminal handles more than four million passengers. The facilities and the operations of this terminal are designed and sized for this specific type of traffic.

Specific operations :

During the big pilgrimage period, the traffic is monoflow. During one month, there are arrivals only (From November 11 to December 14) and the following month, departures only (from 23 December 2007 to 24 January 2008).

Some airport resources are adapted to the departures period. As an example, extra check-in desks are installed in front of the baggage carrousels which are used to collect baggage at departures.

In the frame of their contract, the experts of Aéroports de Paris Management participate into operations and export their know-how in terms of operations management and infrastructure (orientation and flow management, reorganization of all procedures handbooks, coordination with all the partners, training of local staff …). Aéroports de Paris Management has three expatriates on site.

As for ADPI, engineering and architecture subsidiary of Aéroports de Paris, it carries out studies and provides its technical support throughout the extension and renovation phases of Hajj terminal.

First phase of renovation:

The first phase of the renovation dealt with the reconstruction of 32,000 square meters of a terminal and the renovation of part of the Plazza (64,000 square meters).

The Plazza, which is a huge waiting area for pilgrims, has been redesigned with retail, rest and pray areas able to accommodate 400 people each.

The first renovated part of this terminal offers to passengers a luminous, modern and comfortable space while insuring the best security checks.

The terminal is characterized by its colour code used as signage aids and space differentiation. The signage has been designed to facilitate the circuit for worldwide passengers who are, for the majority, occasional travellers.

End of renovation:

After this first phase of works which lasted eight months, the Hajj terminal will be entirely renovated for the 2008 pilgrimage. Its total surface area will cover 94,000 square meters. In total, it will includes a central check-in area of 64 desks which can be increased to 168 during the Hajj period and 10 contact aircraft stands for jumbo jets. The Plaza will cover a total surface area of 160,000 square meters.

Aéroports de Paris Management, established in 1990, is a subsidiary of the Aéroports de Paris Group, dedicated to airport management and investments in airport management companies. Jean-Marie Chevallier is its President and Jacques Follain its General Manager.

ADPI, established in 2000, is a subsidiary of Aéroports de Paris Group. It offers design, architecture and engineering services as well as project management services. Marc Noyelle is ADPI's President and Alain Le Pajolec is ADPI's General Manager.

Aéroports de Paris builds, develops and manages airports including Paris-Orly, Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Paris-Le Bourget. Aéroports de Paris is the 2nd European airport group in terms of airport turnover and the 1st European airport group in terms of cargo and mail. Aéroports de Paris accommodates nearly 460 airlines, mainly the major actors of air transport.

Benefiting from an exceptional geographical location and a major trading area, the group's strategy is to modernize its terminal facilities and to upgrade its quality of service. It also intends to develop its retail and real estate business. In 2006, Aéroports de Paris Group had a turnover of 2,076.8 million euros, and a net result of 152.1 million euros. Aéroports de Paris handled 82.5 million passengers in 2006.

Date posted: 19-Dec-07