Jeddah Airport: 870 counters and 10,000 employees to serve Umrah pilgrims in 1447 AH

Jeddah Airport raises its readiness for the Umrah season with 870 counters and 10,000 employees

Jeddah Airports Company announced the adoption of its maximum operational plan for the 1447 AH Umrah season at King Abdulaziz International Airport, a proactive step aimed at providing an exceptional and seamless travel experience for millions of pilgrims arriving from around the world. The plan includes mobilizing significant human and technological resources to ensure the smooth flow of pilgrims from arrival to departure.

Historical context: The gateway to the Two Holy Mosques

King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah has historically been the main air gateway to the Two Holy Mosques, receiving the largest percentage of Hajj and Umrah pilgrims annually. Over the decades, the airport has undergone continuous development to accommodate the increasing numbers of visitors. These extensive preparations are a continuation of this pivotal role and a culmination of the expansion and development projects the airport has witnessed, most notably the inauguration of Terminal 1, an architectural masterpiece and a modern gateway reflecting the civilized image of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Integrated efforts to serve the guests of God

The plan focuses on activating full operational capacity in three main areas: Terminal 1, the North Terminal, and the Hajj and Umrah Terminal Complex. To achieve this, a comprehensive infrastructure has been established, comprising 870 operational platforms , distributed as follows:

• 407 platforms dedicated to accepting pilgrims' luggage and registering their arrival.
• 463 counters for completing passport procedures, with the aim of significantly reducing waiting times.

To ensure smooth operations within the airport, the logistics system has been enhanced with 56 passenger boarding bridges to transport passengers directly to aircraft, 35 baggage carousels, and 81 advanced customs inspection devices to improve the efficiency of arrival and departure procedures. A dedicated team of over 10,000 employees from 27 government, security, and operational agencies is working around the clock to ensure the safety and comfort of pilgrims.

The importance of the event and its impact within the framework of Vision 2030

These preparations are of paramount importance as they align directly with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030 , which aims to increase the capacity to receive pilgrims to 30 million by 2030 and enhance the quality of services provided to them. Facilitating arrival and departure procedures not only improves the pilgrim's spiritual experience but also strengthens the Kingdom's international reputation as a leader in crowd management and the provision of world-class hospitality services.

At both the local and regional levels, these efforts contribute to revitalizing economic activity in Jeddah and Mecca by supporting the transportation, hospitality, and logistics sectors. They also reflect the Kingdom's commitment to harnessing all its resources to serve Islam and Muslims, and to provide a safe and peaceful spiritual journey for visitors to the Holy Mosque.

The CEO of Jeddah Airports Company, Engineer Mazen Johar, explained that the plan was implemented with a participatory approach to ensure the improvement of services provided, stressing that all capabilities were harnessed to apply the highest quality standards and provide an experience befitting the guests of God.