King Fahd International Airport
Encyclopedia
King Fahd International Airport (KFIA) is located 20 kilometers northwest of Dammam
, Saudi Arabia. It is the largest airport in the world in terms of land area (780 km²). The airport's basic infrastructure was complete by the end of 1990, which allowed the Allied forces engaged in the first Gulf War in early 1991 to use the field for the storage of military aircraft. The General Authority of Civil Aviation
of Saudi Arabia finally opened the new Dammam King Fahd International Airport on November 28, 1999 to commercial traffic, and all airlines transferred their operations from Dhahran airport, which had been in use until then. The new Dammam airport serves the entire Eastern Region of Saudi Arabia and in particular the growing urban complex made up of Dammam
, Dhahran
, Al Khobar, Qatif
, Ras Tanura
, while its catchment area also covers Jubail
with total population of about 2 million served. The airport is the third major hub for Saudi Arabian Airlines
, and furthermore was a hub for the now defunct Sama Airlines
.
and Dammam
, about 22 km away from Dammam
. It is linked to population areas by two major roads. The northern exit, which used to be the only one, links the airport with Qatif as a 4-lane highway. The southern exit links the Airport with Dammam as a 6-lane highway to King Fahd Road which is now considered as the main road to the airport. Abu Hadriyah Highway
, serves as the airport's eastern border while Dammam-Riyadh Highway serves as a southern border.
On the airport's southern border, Saudi Aramco
occupies an area of 250 km² (97 mi²) which is used for oil drilling and transportation facilities. However, the area is being claimed by many investors in order to urbanize it for residential and commercial use which if happened will utilize that strategic location, an example would be Ghannam 4 (Airport Jewel)
which is the first and only urbanization attempt that had taken place before is was stopped due to involvement in the issue of Aramco Reservations
which is the reason why the airport is still far away from the city. If the issue is resolved the terminal would be as close as 10 km to the Urban areas of Dammam.
. The roads have since been improved. Passenger numbers have increased somewhat, but it remains a largely idle (excess capacity) airport due to significant portion of the public being travelling via the nearby Bahrain International Airport
for international flights in addition to some people living in Khobar
may prefer it even for some domestic destinations due to the long distance to the airport. Many airlines prefer to operate only from Bahrain and bring passengers from Dammam to Bahrain by road which is likely to increase after the planned expansion for King Fahd Causeway
is completed unless serious improvement is implemented in managing the airport in order to attract more airlines and passengers. King Fahd International Airport is fully operational throughout the year.
Also, the other reason of passengers preferring to travel from Bahrain is the mistreatment of the airport officials (specially passport control officers) and long waiting times which reaches to 3hrs specially for arrivals from South Asian countries and Egypt. People often complain about the mistreatment by several means but no action has been taken by the airport authorities to improve.
The passenger terminal’s total area is 327,000 m² (3,519,798 ft²). Approximately 247,500 m² (2,664,067 ft²) were built in the first phase, in addition to 11 fixed passenger boarding bridges serving 15 gates out of an original design capacity of 31 fixed boarding bridges. At the present time only (7 out of 11) boarding bridges can be used for international flight as the southern section of the terminal that hosts the remaining four gates is still unused, however since domestic flights are entirely running from the operating northern section, all eleven boarding bridges can be used for domestic flights.
The terminal is equipped with several customer counters of which 66 were allocated to Saudi Arabian Airlines
(now shared with Nas Air
), 44 to foreign airlines and the rest for Customs and Immigration.
CHECK-IN:
PASSPORT CONTROL:
International Departures:
International Arrivals:
BAGGAGE CLAIM:
King Fahd International Airport was the first among Saudi Arabia's international airports to adopt duty-free markets. In addition to the spaces allocated to duty-free markets, the airport has a separate area for shops specializing in the sale of gifts and all passenger related goods. This area includes restaurants, cafeterias, and banks, and is located on the arrivals level. The distinction is largely meaningless however as the Kingdom has no sales or import duties on any products. Recently, as part of larger marketing project named "Golden Circle", several shops and services are planned to open including indoor playgrounds and travel agencies.
The following duty free shops can be found at the airport:
Currency Exchange
Several ATMs and currency exchange shops are available in the departure and arrival areas however they are all located before security. Therefore in order to shop after security checks passengers must make sure they have sufficient cash prior to proceeding to security.
Multi-Story Car Park
The airport is served by a multi-storey car park
. Parking charges are SR1 per hour. Car can also be parked there for long periods but there are NO special rates.The parking charge is 1 SR per hour Or 24 Sr per day, regardless how long you stay.
Smoking Room
Dammam airport used to allow smoking throughout the airport, with most seats having ash trays right next to them. However, on 20 June 2010, the Council of Ministers urged the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) to ban smoking at all airports and their facilities in the Kingdom on Monday. It also advised GACA to impose a fine of SR200 on people who violate the new regulations. Following the announcement, the airport opened a smoking room in the Departure area and banned smoking elsewhere in the airport.
The Mosque
The airport mosque
is built on the roof of the car park and in the middle of a landscaped area of 46,200 m² (497,292 ft²). It has an architectural design that combines modern style with the old Islam
ic style (arches, domes, and other Islamic decorations and carvings on the doors, mihrab
, and mimbar). The mosque
accommodates two thousand worshipers.
Access to the mosque
can be easily gained from the passenger terminal through two enclosed, air-conditioned bridges equipped with moving belts, in addition to a third open bridge.
Hotel
Tendering was announced to open in late 2010 for construction of a 5-star airport hotel. According to the airport administration, the hotel will be conveniently located nearby the passenger terminal building.
(Now King Abdulaziz Airbase).
while commercial airlines use the west one, however situation changes if one of the runways is undergoing maintenance. Space has been set aside for the construction of a third parallel runway.
The airport is classified as Code E by ICAO which makes it designed to accommodate large aircraft such as Boeing 747-400
and A340-600. Although it may practically be possible for A380 to use the airport it is not recommended as in order to accommodate such aircraft as Airbus A380
or Boeing 747-8
it requires the airport to be Code F. Only at Dammam Airport do the runways meet Code F requirements; however, the taxiways and gates do not. In May 2009, an Antonov 225 the world's largest aircraft landed at Dammam Airport from Ukraine whilst transporting equipment used for oil drilling and exploration to Tanzania for Schlumberger
.
A road for ground support equipment (GSE) runs along the western side of the central terminal. It is designed to allow GSE to have access to aircraft and also to facilitate the movement of baggage vehicles from aircraft to baggage areas.
The terminal’s design allows for transforming the operation system to a fully automatic system equipped with multi-level racks and a container stacking system. When the air cargo facility becomes fully automatic, its capacity will be increased to 176,000 metric tons (194,007 tons) per year.
Two open parking areas are available beside the rental car parking area to accommodate additional cars.
is responsible for supplying fuel and maintaining fuel installations. These include six large tanks with a capacity of 40,000 barrels each, in addition to pumping equipment, filters, loading stations, and the distribution valve network. Saudi Aramco
operates regular flights for its personnel, which originate from Dammam
to cover Haradh
, Tanajib
, Shaybah
, Hawtah
, Al Ahsa, Khurais, Riyadh
, Jeddah
and Yanbu, using Boeing 737
and Dash-8 equipment.
The General Aviation
terminal on the east side of Dammam airport is being used exclusively by Saudi Aramco. In addition, an advanced fleet of fuel tankers provides fuel services to all types of commercial aircraft.
Dammam
Dammam is the capital of the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, the most oil-rich region in the world. The judicial and administrative bodies of the province and several government departments are located in the city. Dammam is the largest city in the Eastern Province and third largest in Saudi...
, Saudi Arabia. It is the largest airport in the world in terms of land area (780 km²). The airport's basic infrastructure was complete by the end of 1990, which allowed the Allied forces engaged in the first Gulf War in early 1991 to use the field for the storage of military aircraft. The General Authority of Civil Aviation
General Authority of Civil Aviation
The General Authority Of Civil Aviation of Saudi Arabia is the national institution of Saudi Arabia in charge of aviation and related matters, headquartered in Jeddah....
of Saudi Arabia finally opened the new Dammam King Fahd International Airport on November 28, 1999 to commercial traffic, and all airlines transferred their operations from Dhahran airport, which had been in use until then. The new Dammam airport serves the entire Eastern Region of Saudi Arabia and in particular the growing urban complex made up of Dammam
Dammam
Dammam is the capital of the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, the most oil-rich region in the world. The judicial and administrative bodies of the province and several government departments are located in the city. Dammam is the largest city in the Eastern Province and third largest in Saudi...
, Dhahran
Dhahran
Dhahran is a city located in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province, and is a major administrative center for the Saudi oil industry. Large oil reserves were first identified in the Dhahran area in 1931, and in 1935 Standard Oil of California drilled the first commercially viable oil well...
, Al Khobar, Qatif
Qatif
Qatif or Al-Qatif is a governorate and urban area located in Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia. It extends from Ras Tanura and Jubail in the north to Dammam in the south, and from the Persian Gulf in the east to King Fahd International Airport in the west...
, Ras Tanura
Ras Tanura
Ras Tanura is a city in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia located on a peninsula extending into the Persian Gulf...
, while its catchment area also covers Jubail
Jubail
Jubail , is a city in the Eastern province on the Persian Gulf coast of Saudi Arabia. It consists of the Old Town of Al Jubail, which was originally a small fishing village, up to 1975 and the new industrial area....
with total population of about 2 million served. The airport is the third major hub for Saudi Arabian Airlines
Saudi Arabian Airlines
Saudi Arabian Airlines is the flag carrier airline of Saudi Arabia, based in Jeddah. It operates domestic and international scheduled flights to over 90 destinations in the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Europe and North America...
, and furthermore was a hub for the now defunct Sama Airlines
Sama Airlines
Sama LelTayaran Company Limited, operating as Sama, was a Saudi low-cost airline based at King Fahad International Airport, Dammam operating scheduled flights within Saudi Arabia and the Middle East. The airline's registered address was in Riyadh....
.
Location
The airport, in the Eastern Province of the country, is located between QatifQatif
Qatif or Al-Qatif is a governorate and urban area located in Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia. It extends from Ras Tanura and Jubail in the north to Dammam in the south, and from the Persian Gulf in the east to King Fahd International Airport in the west...
and Dammam
Dammam
Dammam is the capital of the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, the most oil-rich region in the world. The judicial and administrative bodies of the province and several government departments are located in the city. Dammam is the largest city in the Eastern Province and third largest in Saudi...
, about 22 km away from Dammam
Dammam
Dammam is the capital of the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, the most oil-rich region in the world. The judicial and administrative bodies of the province and several government departments are located in the city. Dammam is the largest city in the Eastern Province and third largest in Saudi...
. It is linked to population areas by two major roads. The northern exit, which used to be the only one, links the airport with Qatif as a 4-lane highway. The southern exit links the Airport with Dammam as a 6-lane highway to King Fahd Road which is now considered as the main road to the airport. Abu Hadriyah Highway
Abu Hadriyah Highway
A major highway in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. It extends from King Fahd Causeway to Kuwait borders serving major cities such as Dammam and Jubail....
, serves as the airport's eastern border while Dammam-Riyadh Highway serves as a southern border.
On the airport's southern border, Saudi Aramco
Saudi Aramco
Saudi Aramco , officially the Saudi Arabian Oil Company, is the national oil company of Saudi Arabia.Saudi Aramco is the world's largest and most valuable privately-held company, with estimates of its value in 2011 to be $7 trillion USD.Saudi Aramco has both the largest proven crude oil reserves,...
occupies an area of 250 km² (97 mi²) which is used for oil drilling and transportation facilities. However, the area is being claimed by many investors in order to urbanize it for residential and commercial use which if happened will utilize that strategic location, an example would be Ghannam 4 (Airport Jewel)
Ghannam 4 (Airport Jewel)
A large urban project located on the west of Dammam city in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, between the city and King Fahd International Airport...
which is the first and only urbanization attempt that had taken place before is was stopped due to involvement in the issue of Aramco Reservations
Aramco Reservations
Aramco Reservations is a vast area of raw land occupying most of the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia that has been reserved by the Saudi Arabian Oil Company .-History:...
which is the reason why the airport is still far away from the city. If the issue is resolved the terminal would be as close as 10 km to the Urban areas of Dammam.
Troubled history
Bad transport roads led many locals to fly via the airport in neighboring BahrainBahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
. The roads have since been improved. Passenger numbers have increased somewhat, but it remains a largely idle (excess capacity) airport due to significant portion of the public being travelling via the nearby Bahrain International Airport
Bahrain International Airport
Bahrain International Airport is an international airport located in Muharraq, an island on the northern tip of Bahrain, about northeast of the capital Manama...
for international flights in addition to some people living in Khobar
Khobar
Khobar is a large city located in the Eastern Province of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on the Persian Gulf. It has a population of 360,000 and forms part of the greater Dammam metropolitan area along with Dhahran, which together have a combined population of over two million...
may prefer it even for some domestic destinations due to the long distance to the airport. Many airlines prefer to operate only from Bahrain and bring passengers from Dammam to Bahrain by road which is likely to increase after the planned expansion for King Fahd Causeway
King Fahd Causeway
The King Fahd Causeway is a causeway connecting Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. The idea of constructing the causeway was based on improving the links and bonds between Saudi Arabia and Bahrain...
is completed unless serious improvement is implemented in managing the airport in order to attract more airlines and passengers. King Fahd International Airport is fully operational throughout the year.
Also, the other reason of passengers preferring to travel from Bahrain is the mistreatment of the airport officials (specially passport control officers) and long waiting times which reaches to 3hrs specially for arrivals from South Asian countries and Egypt. People often complain about the mistreatment by several means but no action has been taken by the airport authorities to improve.
Passenger terminal
The passenger terminal has six stories of which three are allocated for passenger processing. The third level is for arrivals, the sixth level is for departures, and the fourth level is for boarding. There are two partial levels: the mezzanine service level and the mezzanine level (which is the uppermost level).The passenger terminal’s total area is 327,000 m² (3,519,798 ft²). Approximately 247,500 m² (2,664,067 ft²) were built in the first phase, in addition to 11 fixed passenger boarding bridges serving 15 gates out of an original design capacity of 31 fixed boarding bridges. At the present time only (7 out of 11) boarding bridges can be used for international flight as the southern section of the terminal that hosts the remaining four gates is still unused, however since domestic flights are entirely running from the operating northern section, all eleven boarding bridges can be used for domestic flights.
The terminal is equipped with several customer counters of which 66 were allocated to Saudi Arabian Airlines
Saudi Arabian Airlines
Saudi Arabian Airlines is the flag carrier airline of Saudi Arabia, based in Jeddah. It operates domestic and international scheduled flights to over 90 destinations in the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Europe and North America...
(now shared with Nas Air
Nas Air (Saudi Arabia)
Nas Air , a subsidiary of the National Air Services , is a Saudi Arabian domestic low-cost airline. The company's head office is located on the first floor of the Al Salam Centre in Riyadh...
), 44 to foreign airlines and the rest for Customs and Immigration.
Passengers Waiting time
Dammam airport usual waiting times (2011 average):CHECK-IN:
- Domestic flights: 10-25mins.
- International flights: 20-45mins.
PASSPORT CONTROL:
International Departures:
- Saudi and GCC Nationals: 05-15mins.
- Other Nationals: 15mins to 30mins.
International Arrivals:
- Saudi and GCC Nationals: 10-20mins.
- Other Nationals: 30mins to 3hrs.
BAGGAGE CLAIM:
- For all flights: 15-30mins.
Services and amenities
Shops and other servicesKing Fahd International Airport was the first among Saudi Arabia's international airports to adopt duty-free markets. In addition to the spaces allocated to duty-free markets, the airport has a separate area for shops specializing in the sale of gifts and all passenger related goods. This area includes restaurants, cafeterias, and banks, and is located on the arrivals level. The distinction is largely meaningless however as the Kingdom has no sales or import duties on any products. Recently, as part of larger marketing project named "Golden Circle", several shops and services are planned to open including indoor playgrounds and travel agencies.
The following duty free shops can be found at the airport:
- Krispy KremeKrispy KremeKrispy Kreme is the name of an international chain of doughnut stores that was founded by Vernon Rudolph in 1937 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The parent company of Krispy Kreme is Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Inc...
- Arrival and Departure - SubwaySubway (restaurant)Subway is an American restaurant franchise that primarily sells submarine sandwiches and salads. It is owned and operated by Doctor's Associates, Inc. . Subway is one of the fastest growing franchises in the world with 35,519 restaurants in 98 countries and territories as of October 25th, 2011...
- Arrival - Costa CoffeeCosta CoffeeCosta Coffee is a British coffeehouse company founded in 1971 by Italian brothers Sergio and Bruno Costa, as a wholesale operation supplying roasted coffee to caterers and specialist Italian coffee shops. Since 1995 it has been a subsidiary of Whitbread, since when the company has grown to over...
- Arrival - Coffee Talk - Departure (one before immigration and one after security check)
- dr. Cafe - Departure
- Mr.Pax - Arrival and Departure
- Gift Shops - Arrival and Departure
- Snack Shops - Arrival and Departure
Currency Exchange
Several ATMs and currency exchange shops are available in the departure and arrival areas however they are all located before security. Therefore in order to shop after security checks passengers must make sure they have sufficient cash prior to proceeding to security.
Multi-Story Car Park
The airport is served by a multi-storey car park
Multi-storey car park
A multi-storey car-park is a building designed specifically to be for car parking and where there are a number of floors or levels on which parking takes place...
. Parking charges are SR1 per hour. Car can also be parked there for long periods but there are NO special rates.The parking charge is 1 SR per hour Or 24 Sr per day, regardless how long you stay.
Smoking Room
Dammam airport used to allow smoking throughout the airport, with most seats having ash trays right next to them. However, on 20 June 2010, the Council of Ministers urged the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) to ban smoking at all airports and their facilities in the Kingdom on Monday. It also advised GACA to impose a fine of SR200 on people who violate the new regulations. Following the announcement, the airport opened a smoking room in the Departure area and banned smoking elsewhere in the airport.
The Mosque
The airport mosque
Mosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
is built on the roof of the car park and in the middle of a landscaped area of 46,200 m² (497,292 ft²). It has an architectural design that combines modern style with the old Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
ic style (arches, domes, and other Islamic decorations and carvings on the doors, mihrab
Mihrab
A mihrab is semicircular niche in the wall of a mosque that indicates the qibla; that is, the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca and hence the direction that Muslims should face when praying...
, and mimbar). The mosque
Mosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
accommodates two thousand worshipers.
Access to the mosque
Mosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
can be easily gained from the passenger terminal through two enclosed, air-conditioned bridges equipped with moving belts, in addition to a third open bridge.
Hotel
Tendering was announced to open in late 2010 for construction of a 5-star airport hotel. According to the airport administration, the hotel will be conveniently located nearby the passenger terminal building.
Royal Terminal
The Royal Terminal is reserved for the Saudi Royal Family, government personnel, and official guests. The terminal was built on an area of 16,400 m² (176,528 ft²) and has four bridges linking the terminal and aircraft. It is luxuriously furnished and decorated, and includes extensively landscaped exteriors and grounds. Despite its specialized purpose, the terminal is rarely used by the Royal Family, who generally prefer to utilize a similar special terminal at Dhahran International AirportDhahran International Airport
Dhahran International Airport in Dhahran formerly served the Ash Sharqiyah Province in Saudi Arabia. In 1999, after the opening of King Fahd International Airport, all scheduled flights were shifted out of Dhahran and the airport now serves as the King Abdulaziz Air Base of the Royal Saudi Air...
(Now King Abdulaziz Airbase).
Airlines and destinations
Cargo airlines
Runways
The airport has two parallel runways with a length of 4000 m (13,123 ft) each, in addition to taxiways parallel to the runways and a cross taxiway to connect the two runways. A distance of 2146 m (7,041 ft) separates the two runways to facilitate simultaneous takeoff and landing operations. For more convenience and shorter taxiing durations, the east runway is usually used by Saudi AramcoSaudi Aramco
Saudi Aramco , officially the Saudi Arabian Oil Company, is the national oil company of Saudi Arabia.Saudi Aramco is the world's largest and most valuable privately-held company, with estimates of its value in 2011 to be $7 trillion USD.Saudi Aramco has both the largest proven crude oil reserves,...
while commercial airlines use the west one, however situation changes if one of the runways is undergoing maintenance. Space has been set aside for the construction of a third parallel runway.
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Runways | 2 |
| Runway length | 4000 m (13,123 ft) |
| Runway width | 60 m (197 ft) |
| Runway shoulders | 7.5 m (25 ft) x 2 |
| Runway paved blast pads | 120 m (394 ft) x 2 |
| Taxiway width | 23 m (75 ft) |
| Taxiway shoulders | 11 m (36 ft) x 2 |
| Cross taxiway width | 30 m (98 ft) |
| Cross taxiway shoulders | 12 m (39 ft) x 2 |
| Large-sized aircraft stands | 12 + 8 royal terminal |
| Medium-sized aircraft stands | 5 |
| Small-sized aircraft stands | 7 |
| Cargo aircraft stands | 3 (Large) |
| General aviation stands | 14 |
| Helipads | 2 (1 General aviation + 1 Royal terminal) |
The airport is classified as Code E by ICAO which makes it designed to accommodate large aircraft such as Boeing 747-400
Boeing 747-400
The Boeing 747-400 is a major development and the best-selling model of the Boeing 747 family of jet airliners. While retaining the four-engine wide-body layout of its predecessors, the 747-400 embodies numerous technological and structural changes to produce a more efficient airframe...
and A340-600. Although it may practically be possible for A380 to use the airport it is not recommended as in order to accommodate such aircraft as Airbus A380
Airbus A380
The Airbus A380 is a double-deck, wide-body, four-engine jet airliner manufactured by the European corporation Airbus, a subsidiary of EADS. It is the largest passenger airliner in the world. Due to its size, many airports had to modify and improve facilities to accommodate it...
or Boeing 747-8
Boeing 747-8
The Boeing 747-8 is a wide-body jet airliner developed by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Officially announced in 2005, the 747-8 is the fourth-generation Boeing 747 version, with lengthened fuselage, redesigned wings and improved efficiency...
it requires the airport to be Code F. Only at Dammam Airport do the runways meet Code F requirements; however, the taxiways and gates do not. In May 2009, an Antonov 225 the world's largest aircraft landed at Dammam Airport from Ukraine whilst transporting equipment used for oil drilling and exploration to Tanzania for Schlumberger
Schlumberger
Schlumberger Limited is the world's largest oilfield services company. Schlumberger employs over 110,000 people of more than 140 nationalities working in approximately 80 countries...
.
A road for ground support equipment (GSE) runs along the western side of the central terminal. It is designed to allow GSE to have access to aircraft and also to facilitate the movement of baggage vehicles from aircraft to baggage areas.
Operations Services
There are ten main Operations Services areas providing facilities for the operation of the airport.Cargo
The two-story air cargo building is constructed on an area of 39,500 m² (425,174 ft²) and has a capacity of 94,000 metric tons (103,617 tons) of incoming and outgoing cargo.The terminal’s design allows for transforming the operation system to a fully automatic system equipped with multi-level racks and a container stacking system. When the air cargo facility becomes fully automatic, its capacity will be increased to 176,000 metric tons (194,007 tons) per year.
Control Tower
The control tower stands 85.5 meters (281 feet) high, equivalent to the height of a 30-story building. The height allows visibility of all parts of the airport operations area. Its total floor area is 7,960 m² (85,681 ft²), and it contains the following three main sections:- Air traffic controlAir traffic controlAir traffic control is a service provided by ground-based controllers who direct aircraft on the ground and in the air. The primary purpose of ATC systems worldwide is to separate aircraft to prevent collisions, to organize and expedite the flow of traffic, and to provide information and other...
level - MezzanineMezzanine (architecture)In architecture, a mezzanine or entresol is an intermediate floor between main floors of a building, and therefore typically not counted among the overall floors of a building. Often, a mezzanine is low-ceilinged and projects in the form of a balcony. The term is also used for the lowest balcony in...
level one, which accommodates support equipment for traffic control and communication - MezzanineMezzanine (architecture)In architecture, a mezzanine or entresol is an intermediate floor between main floors of a building, and therefore typically not counted among the overall floors of a building. Often, a mezzanine is low-ceilinged and projects in the form of a balcony. The term is also used for the lowest balcony in...
level two, allocated for a kitchen and toilets
Car parking
The total area of the car park is 176,752 m² (1,902,543 ft²), distributed among three covered floors. The parking area accommodates 4,930 cars. Cars enter the car park through a roadway that leads to the second floor. There is direct access to the passenger terminal from the parking on the first floor which lies under the access road with exits leading to the main roads. Parking charges are 1 Saudi Riyal per hour, which is a flat rate regardless how long you stay. There are no special long term parking rates.Two open parking areas are available beside the rental car parking area to accommodate additional cars.
Saudi Aramco Facilities
Saudi AramcoSaudi Aramco
Saudi Aramco , officially the Saudi Arabian Oil Company, is the national oil company of Saudi Arabia.Saudi Aramco is the world's largest and most valuable privately-held company, with estimates of its value in 2011 to be $7 trillion USD.Saudi Aramco has both the largest proven crude oil reserves,...
is responsible for supplying fuel and maintaining fuel installations. These include six large tanks with a capacity of 40,000 barrels each, in addition to pumping equipment, filters, loading stations, and the distribution valve network. Saudi Aramco
Saudi Aramco
Saudi Aramco , officially the Saudi Arabian Oil Company, is the national oil company of Saudi Arabia.Saudi Aramco is the world's largest and most valuable privately-held company, with estimates of its value in 2011 to be $7 trillion USD.Saudi Aramco has both the largest proven crude oil reserves,...
operates regular flights for its personnel, which originate from Dammam
Dammam
Dammam is the capital of the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, the most oil-rich region in the world. The judicial and administrative bodies of the province and several government departments are located in the city. Dammam is the largest city in the Eastern Province and third largest in Saudi...
to cover Haradh
Haradh
Haradh is a small village in Al-Hasa, Saudi Arabia. Haradh is famous for its oil-rich and gas-rich fields. Several oil plants and a gas plant are located in the Haradh area.- Oil :Haradh is located on top of the massive Ghawar Field...
, Tanajib
Tanajib
Tanajib is an oil complex owned by the Saudi Arabian Oil Company , located on the Persian Gulf, about 200 km north of Dammam in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia...
, Shaybah
Shaybah
Shaybah is a major crude oil producing site in Saudi Arabia and is located approximately 40 km from the northern edge of the Rub' Al-Khali/Empty Quarter desert. It is located about 10 km south of the border to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, which is a straight line drawn in the desert...
, Hawtah
Hautat Sudair
Hautat Sudair or Hawtat Sudair Hautat Sudair or Hawtat Sudair Hautat Sudair or Hawtat Sudair ( also spelled Al hawtah , or Al hautah; , Sudair's capital and the beating heart of the historical area of Sudair, is located at the center of the valley of Sudair in Nejd. Hautat Sudair is the...
, Al Ahsa, Khurais, Riyadh
Riyadh
Riyadh is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. It is also the capital of Riyadh Province, and belongs to the historical regions of Najd and Al-Yamama. It is situated in the center of the Arabian Peninsula on a large plateau, and is home to 5,254,560 people, and the urban center of a...
, Jeddah
Jeddah
Jeddah, Jiddah, Jidda, or Jedda is a city located on the coast of the Red Sea and is the major urban center of western Saudi Arabia. It is the largest city in Makkah Province, the largest sea port on the Red Sea, and the second largest city in Saudi Arabia after the capital city, Riyadh. The...
and Yanbu, using Boeing 737
Boeing 737
The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers...
and Dash-8 equipment.
The General Aviation
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
terminal on the east side of Dammam airport is being used exclusively by Saudi Aramco. In addition, an advanced fleet of fuel tankers provides fuel services to all types of commercial aircraft.
Food preparation and Catering Building
This building is a 17,287 m² (186,075 ft²), single-story in-flight catering facility, capable of producing 8,000 aircraft meals a day plus 1,000 meals for staff and 300 for the Royal Pavilion kitchen.Nursery and landscaping
King Fahd International Airport has its own plant nursery with a total area of 215579 square metre which encompasses three green houses and 36400 square metre of green fields. The nursery supplies the airport gardens and planted areas with trees and plants.Statistics
King Fahd International Airport consistently has over 2.5 million passengers per year and at present over 5 million passengers use the airport annually.| Year | Total Passengers | % of which international | Total Cargo (tons) | Commercial Aircraft Movements | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 2,533,000 | 42% | 56,494 | 23,886 | -1.38% |
| 2001 | 2,542,000 | 41% | 55,088 | 23,312 | -2.46% |
| 2002 | 2,578,000 | 39% | 53,029 | 23,281 | -0.13% |
| 2003 | 2,613,000 | 40% | 48,634 | 23,308 | 0.12% |
| 2004 | 2,782,000 | 41% | 48,065 | 23,778 | 2.02% |
| 2005 | 3,013,000 | 40% | 49,633 | 24,457 | 2.86% |
| 2006 | 3,341,000 | 43% | 59,610 | 29,162 | 19.24% |
| 2007 | 3,841,000 | 41% | 66,621 | 39,265 | 34.64% |
| 2008 | 3,885,000 | 47% | 95,862 | 40,776 | 3.85% |
| 2009 | 4,149,000 | 48% | 82,944 | 41,079 | 0.74% |
| 2010 | 4,569,000 | 52% | 82,865 | 45,512 | 10.79% |
2008 traffic statistics
General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) stopped publishing detailed statisitcs starting 2009, the latest available are from 2008| Rank | Airport | Passengers handled | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cairo International Airport Cairo International Airport Cairo International Airport is the busiest airport in Egypt and the primary hub for Star Alliance member EgyptAir. The airport is located to the north-east of the city around from the business area of the city.The airport is administered by the Egyptian Holding Co... |
234,000 | 29% |
| 2 | Abu Dhabi International Airport Abu Dhabi International Airport Abu Dhabi International Airport is an airport in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. The airport is one of the fastest growing airports in the world in terms of passengers , new airline operators, and infrastructural development... |
195,000 | 29% |
| 3 | Dubai International Airport Dubai International Airport Dubai International Airport is an international airport serving Dubai, the largest city of the United Arab Emirates. It is a major aviation hub in the Middle East, and is the main airport of Dubai. It is situated in the Al Garhoud district, southeast of Dubai... |
175,000 | 4% |
| 4 | Bahrain International Airport Bahrain International Airport Bahrain International Airport is an international airport located in Muharraq, an island on the northern tip of Bahrain, about northeast of the capital Manama... |
135,000 | 43% |
| 5 | Sharjah International Airport Sharjah International Airport Sharjah International Airport is located in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.Sharjah Airport is the second largest Middle East Airfreight Hub in terms of cargo tonnage, according to official 2009 statistics from Airports Council International... |
101,000 | 1% |
| 6 | Doha International Airport Doha International Airport Doha International Airport is the only commercial airport in Qatar. It has three mosques, free Wi-Fi, a duty-free area, a few eateries and 42 parking bays for aircraft. There are also 60 check-in gates, 8 baggage claim belts and over 1,000 car parking spaces.The airport suffers from... |
93,000 | 7% |
| 7 | Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport | 70,000 | 42% |
| 8 | Jinnah International Airport Jinnah International Airport Jinnah International Airport is Pakistan's largest international and domestic airport. It is located in Karachi, Pakistan, and its passenger terminal is also commonly known as the جناح ٹرمینل Jinnah Terminal... |
66,000 | 3% |
| 9 | Bandaranaike International Airport Bandaranaike International Airport Bandaranaike International Airport is Sri Lanka's only international airport at the moment. Mattala International Airport, when it gets built will be the second International Airport of Sri Lanka. It is located in Katunayake, north of Colombo... |
63,000 | 3% |
| 10 | Shahjalal International Airport | 62,000 | 6% |
| Rank | Country | Passengers handled | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  United Arab Emirates |
471,414 | 12% |
| 2 |  Egypt |
269,865 | 39% |
| 3 |  India |
218,135 | 8% |
| 4 |  Bahrain |
135,137 | 43% |
| 5 |  Pakistan |
129,391 | 6% |
| 6 |  Qatar |
92,720 | 7% |
| 7 |  Sri Lanka |
63,442 | 3% |
| 8 |  Bangladesh |
61,736 | 6% |
| 9 |  Nepal |
57,264 | 5% |
| 10 |  Indonesia |
48,838 | 11% |
| 11 |  Philippines |
231,332 | 12% |
| 12 |  Mainland China |
234,333 | 13% |