Overview
BNP developed an airport Baggage Handling System (BHS) masterplan for the King Abdulaziz International Airport (KAIA). KAIA is one of the largest airports in the Middle East, known for its central geographic location, linking the east to the west and the north to the south. It serves as a vital connecting hub for both domestic and international travelers and airlines.
Current Capacity and Future Demand
KAIA’s annual passenger demand in 2019 was 41 million passengers, well beyond the capacity of 30 million passengers that was achieved in Phase 1 of the previous masterplan. Demand is forecasted to grow to 114 million passengers per year by 2030.
Project Mission
Our core mission was to prepare a comprehensive and updated masterplan for the KAIA campus, including aspects of the Cargo Village and interfaces with surrounding landside development proposals. We also needed to evaluate the existing BHS and propose updates to accommodate forecasted demands if the existing systems fell short.
PROJECT DETAILS
Key Masterplan Components
Key aspects for the masterplan expansion of KAIA included the following:
- The location and size of all BHS facilities, including any existing facilities that required expansion or re-location, based on a demand and capacity analysis.
- The strategy for maintaining airport operations during the expansion, including temporary terminals and associated facilities pertaining to the BHS.
- The phasing plan, which considered the existing and future operations of the airport for BHS developments.
- Interconnectivity for all terminals via BHS tunnels.