Operations
The airport was upgraded in late 2009 to enable it to operate international flights with newly expanded arrival and departure lounges. The contract for the airport expansion project was signed with a national company in June 2006 at a cost of SR188 million. The airport features air bridges that link passengers directly with aircraft, a first for regional airports in the Kingdom. The airport only has 2 air-bridges, Gates 1 and 2.
With passenger terminal areas of 8,500 sq. meters that can take up to 500 passengers an hour. The airport also features new control towers, cargo facilities, and security and safety systems.
The ground floor features a cafe offering a variety of hot and cold sandwiches, pastries, ice-cream, and other desserts, as well as a shopping area, both of which are located before passengers enter passenger check-in and security. This allows the first cafe and shopping area to be open to the general public. Once passengers are done with ticketing, they then proceed to security. Security also features customs and immigration for passengers departing to international destinations. There is also another cafe and a smaller shopping area directly after check-in/security, but these are open only to ticketed departing passengers.
The second floor is where the 2 air-bridge gates are located. The second floor also features a third cafe (located next to Gate #2), as well as a lounge for first and business class Saudia passengers only (located between Gates #1 and #2), a prayer area, and public toilet facilities.
Upon disembarkation, the passengers exit the plane via the air-bridge and then proceed downstairs to the baggage carousel. For those passengers arriving on an international flight, immigration and customs are located adjacent to the baggage carousel. The exit of the airport is also on the ground floor.
On 24 December, 2009, Egypt's AlMasria Universal Airlines became the first international airline to serve the airport (with flights from Cairo International Airport).
Read more about this topic: Yanbu Airport
Famous quotes containing the word operations:
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—Horace Walpole (1717–1797)
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—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)