Jubail airport handles first civilian flight

The first civilian aircraft landed at Jubail airport on Thursday morning, marking its transformation from a purely military facility.
The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) had overseen the revamp of the airport at Jubail Industrial City.
It was originally constructed by the Royal Commission of Jubail and Yanbu for private aviation, until it was decided to use the large nearby King Fahd International Airport for this purpose. The Ministry of Defense then took over the facility for use by the country's navy.
However, the royal commission announced earlier this year that the facility would also handle private aircraft starting this September. It launched a project to renovate the airfield and handle some infrastructure that had remained incomplete when it first changed into a military facility.
The airport is now open for private aviation serving companies in Jubail and Ras Al-Khair industrial cities and neighboring towns. GACA and the navy are working on a plan to use the area in front of the naval forces’ airport in Jubail Industrial City to establish a domestic airport.
Mosleh Al-Otaibi, chief executive officer of the royal commission, announced the opening of the airport recently. “After obtaining a license, completing the landing areas and watch towers, the airport has started operating. It will be for civilian and military use.”
According to data made available to Arab News, the airport will serve more than 500,000 passengers including visitors and investors from inside and outside the Kingdom. This includes expatriates from more than 70 countries working in the area.
The airport is close to Al-Na’areya, Al-Khafji, Al-Elyia village, Khurisaniyah and other areas where Saudi Aramco operates.
Employees and businesspeople are optimistic that the airport would provide further support for the growing aviation industry, and support tourism and other important sectors of the economy.
Jubail is one of the leading industrial cities in the world featuring a range of petrochemical enterprises.