Saudi Arabia to have five new airports

DUBAI: Saudi Arabia will set up five new airports in the country at a cost of SR20 billion (USD 53 million).

The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) will build the new airports across the kingdom, said Abdullah Al-Ruhaimy, GACA president.

He was speaking to reporters in Jeddah yesterday after receiving bids from the five short-listed companies competing for a contract to operate the kingdom's three international airports.

The winner of the airport operation contract would be selected on the basis of technical rather than financial offers, Ruhaimy told 'Arab News'. The contract is likely to be awarded on November 21.

The short-listed companies are from Singapore, the Netherlands, Turkey, Germany and France.

The company which gets the contract will begin work early next year.

Saudi Arabia has 27 airports, including three international ones in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam. Efforts are on to establish an international airport in Madina within four years.