The airport is flying high for the future, part of Saudi Vision 2030, fueled by our local and international program expertise
The 40-year-old King Khalid International Airport (KKIA) in Saudi capital Riyadh is an icon of the country’s land and skies – an elegant structure with an exterior and core that have stood the test of time admirably. But the Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) realized that to sustain the airport through an era of increasing traffic volumes, growing revenue stream opportunities, and higher passenger expectations, modernization was needed – and AECOM was chosen to deliver it.
The ambitious SAR 3.2 billion/US$ 0.85 billion program was not without its challenges. The architecturally complex airport – four individual terminals joined together by three linear “link” buildings – had to be kept operational throughout the program, which focused on upgrading Terminals 3 and 4 initially, but which also required Terminals 1 and 2 to be maintained, for potential upgrade later in the program.
To put the extent of these upgrades into perspective, Terminal 4 required a complete fit-out, whilst Terminal 3 had to be internally demolished and reconfigured from a domestic to an international terminal, with a new build Centralized Check-In area linking Terminals 3 and 4, a new baggage-handling system.
Both terminals also required the complete replacement of the existing electrical supply and distribution to meet new government directives, plus the installation of HVAC, new elevators, escalators, and travelators, the replacement of floors, ceilings, roof waterproofing, and accommodate the connection of the new build Metro Skybridge that takes passengers to and from the Riyadh Metro station.
In addition, the program included the delivery of (i) Upgrades to Runways, Taxiways, Airport Fuel Distribution system and airplane remote stands, as well as (ii) the Design and Construction of a brand-new, 134MVA (covering approximately 3,340 square meter) power distribution facility, connected to the KKIA airport infrastructures by over 80 kilometers of cable within a newly build duct-bank network.
It was, in all senses, a complete reinvigoration of the KKIA premise, balancing refits and new construction with the reuse and repurposing of the existing building fabric, enabling the latter to deliver sustainable value way beyond its original brief.
As Program Director Victor Tamakloe comments, “delivering a program at this level, in a constantly busy and inherently hazardous operational environment, required impeccable clarity, well defined communication, and timely stakeholders’ coordination”. “The key elements of success,” he explains, “were clear understanding of the live airport operations when working airside, as well as the understanding how live airport and newly constructed terminals operationally interfaced and transferred, whiles maintain a stringent approach to safety and airport security.”
“With over a thousand interwoven and dependent major elements required to make airport operations work properly, any changes had to be clearly understood, defined and accepted by all relevant parties, and precisely executed”.
Technically, accordingly to the Program Technical Manager, Mark Del Rosario. “The application of tried and tested processes that enabled fast implementation, supported by control mechanisms, to achieve cost, time and quality objectives is vital.”
Our strong partnership with clients, GACA, and the airport operator RAC (Riyadh Airport Company) was a key success factor. GACA understood the importance of expanding the airport to achieve the Saudi Government target in advancing the Kingdom’s aviation sector to accommodate 300 million passengers by 2030, to support to the creation of a diversified and prosperous economy. Equally critical to the program’s positive outcomes was AECOM’s ability to deploy our existing global and diverse pool of talents.
For example, we provided program, project, and construction management services locally, while our global aviation team was on hand to provide specialist reviews.
Drawing on our multinational, local, and global talent in this way (our team numbered up to 100 people during this program) connects us to professionals who are not only skilled in their field but who also understand local cultures, communities, stakeholders, and concerns, enabling these to be addressed early and thoroughly, and ensuring the expectations of the program across all quarters are met as closely as possible.
It is a technique that has certainly delivered results for Riyadh, not only in terms of its airport’s increased commercial capacity and ability to generate local wealth (the revised terminals will provide for a significantly uplifted annual international passenger throughput of approximately 24 million), but also in terms of its international reputation and credibility. The program is expected to be completed and handover before the end of 2022.