King Khalid International Airport (IATA: RUH, ICAO: OERK) (Arabic: مطار الملك خالد الدولي) is located 35 kilometers north of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, designed by the architectural firm of Hellmuth, Obata, and Kassabaum. An IATA airport code, also known an IATA location identifier, IATA station code or simply a location identifier [1], is a three-letter code designating many airports around the world, defined by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). ... The ICAO (IPA pronunciation: ) airport code or location indicator is a four-letter alphanumeric code designating each airport around the world. ... The term above mean sea level (AMSL) refers to the elevation (on the ground) or altitude (in the air) of any object, relative to the average sea level. ... A foot (plural: feet or foot;[1] symbol or abbreviation: ft or, sometimes, ′ – a prime) is a unit of length, in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... This article is about the unit of length. ... Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... A foot (plural: feet or foot;[1] symbol or abbreviation: ft or, sometimes, ′ – a prime) is a unit of length, in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... This article is about the unit of length. ... The term asphalt is often used as an abbreviation for asphalt concrete. ... An IATA airport code, also known an IATA location identifier, IATA station code or simply a location identifier [1], is a three-letter code designating many airports around the world, defined by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). ... The ICAO (IPA pronunciation: ) airport code or location indicator is a four-letter alphanumeric code designating each airport around the world. ... Arabic can mean: From or related to Arabia From or related to the Arabs The Arabic language; see also Arabic grammar The Arabic alphabet, used for expressing the languages of Arabic, Persian, Malay ( Jawi), Kurdish, Panjabi, Pashto, Sindhi and Urdu, among others. ... Riyadh (Arabic: ar-Riyāḍ) is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. ...

Opened in 1983, it was the largest airport in the world by ground area (225 km²) until King Fahd International Airport was completed in 1999, becoming the largest airport in the world. This area houses all the airport main facilities and installations including the terminals, mosque, the control tower and two parallel runways each 4200 meters long. It is the gateway to the capital of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its heartland, is the national air transport center. It has been constructed to meet the increasing international and local air transport requirements for Riyadh region. King Fahd International Airport (Arabic: مطار الملك فهد الدولي) (IATA: DMM, ICAO: OEDF) is located near Qatif, Saudi Arabia. ...

[edit] Air Traffic Control Tower

Centrally located in the passenger terminal complex, between the Royal Pavilion and the mosque is the air traffic control tower. At 81 meters high, it is among the tallest control towers in the world.

There are 19 separate floor levels in the tower, including the operations area at the base of the tower and a total of 1,230 square meters of floor space. Six of the 19 floors are considered main floors. These include the operational level at the base of the tower, two equipment floors, an observation floor, a service floor and the cab floor at the top of the tower from which the air traffic controllers overlook the entire airport. The operations floor houses the radar control center for the airport as well as conference rooms, offices and a training area. The two equipment level contain mechanical and electrical equipment and cables, and the service floor contains a kitchen, lounge and lavatories for personnel on duty in the cab. The cab itself contains controller operating positions and electronic and communications equipment. The tower is supplied with two sources of standby power should the regular source of power be interrupted. Once source is the standby power supply at the central power plant – three diesel engine generators. In addition, a 300 kilowatt diesel engine located in the tower itself can provide a secondary source of emergency power. The tower is outfitted with the most advanced electronic radar systems and data processing equipment available.

[edit] Transportation

[edit] Moving sidewalks

Passengers going from one terminal to another at King Khaled International Airport can utilize moving sidewalks for transportation. The moving walkways, the first to be installed at any Saudi airport, are located in the three link buildings that connect the International and Domestic terminals.

There is a total of 1,196 meters of the walkways, which are actually wide conveyor belts which operate at floor level and move at a speed of close to one meter per second.

Additional passenger conveniences in the terminal complex include 80 elevators and escalators. In the parking garages, 16 escalators are provided and two serve the mosque.

The elevators, escalators and moving walkways all have the latest safety equipment installed. Should a fire occur, the elevators would automatically be recalled to the main floors and the doors opened. The escalators and moving sidewalks are equipped with fire and smoke detectors which will cause them to stop automatically should a fire be detected.

[edit] Parking Facilities

The parking facilities are among the best to be found at any international airport in the world.^{[citation needed]} Two large three-level garages have been constructed directly in front of the passenger terminals, one on either side of the airport mosque. They are connected to the terminals and to the mosque by pedestrian walkways under the arrivals level roadway. The design capacity of the garages is 11,600 vehicles. The garages are built of cast-in-place concrete and each covered level is 4 meters high. Escalators and elevators are available in these garages, as well as stairways between the different levels.

[edit] Airbridges

KKIA was the first airport in the Kingdom to install airbridges, to speed up handling and turnaround times. Each terminal has eight gates with airbridges effectively eliminating the need for bus journeys between the terminal buildings and waiting aircraft....

[edit] Statistics

King Khalid International Airport has had steadily increasing passenger numbers.[1]

[edit] Commercial terminals

[edit] Terminal 1

This terminal is used for international flights:

• Air Arabia (Sharjah)
• Air France (Paris-Charles de Gaulle)
• Air India (Delhi, Kochi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Trivandrum)
• Austrian Airlines (Vienna) [starts 16 August 2008]
• Biman Bangladesh Airlines (Dhaka)
• bmi (London-Heathrow)
• Cathay Pacific (Hong Kong)
• Cyprus Airways (Larnaca)
• EgyptAir (Alexandria, Cairo)
• Emirates (Dubai)
• Etihad Airways (Abu Dhabi)
• Garuda Indonesia (Jakarta)
• Gulf Air (Bahrain)
• Kuwait Airways (Kuwait)
• Lufthansa (Frankfurt, Sana'a)
• Middle East Airlines (Beirut)
• Oman Air (Muscat)
• Pakistan International Airlines (Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar)
• Pamir Airways (Dubai, Kabul)
• Qatar Airways (Doha)
• Royal Air Maroc (Casablanca , Cairo)
• Royal Jordanian (Amman)
• Srilankan Airlines (Colombo)
• Sama (Amman)
• Sudan Airways (Kartoum)
• Swiss International Air Lines (Zürich)
• Syrian Arab Airlines (Damascus)
• Turkish Airlines (Istanbul-Atatürk)
• Yemenia (Sana'a)

Air Arabia is a low-cost airline based in Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates. ... Air France (formally Société Air France) is Europes largest airline company. ... Air India (Hindi: ) is the national flag carrier of India with a worldwide network of passenger and cargo services. ... Austrian Airlines AG is the flag carrier airline of Austria, headquartered in Vienna. ... Biman Bangladesh Airlines (Bangla:বিমান বাংলাদেশ) is an airline based in Dhaka, Bangladesh. ... This article is about the British airline. ... Cathay Pacific, full name Cathay Pacific Airways Limited (SEHK: 0293) (traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ), is an airline based in Hong Kong, operating scheduled passenger and cargo services to 120 destinations worldwide. ... Cyprus Airways (Greek: Κυπριακές Αερογραμμές, Kipriakes Aerogrammes Turkish: Kıbrıs Hava Yolları ) is the national airline of Cyprus, based in Nicosia. ... EgyptAir Airlines Company (IATA Code: MS[1]), operating as EgyptAir (Arabic: مصر للطيران, Misr Lel-Tayaran) is the Cairo-based national airline of Egypt. ... Emirates Airline (shortened form: Emirates) (Arabic: طيران الإماراتTayarān al-Imārāt) is a subsidiary of The Emirates Group. ... Etihad Airways (Arabic: الإتحاد, ʼal-ʻitiħād) is the flag carrier of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. ... PT (Persero) Perusahaan Penerbangan Garuda Indonesia, abbreviated to Garuda Indonesia, is the national airline of Indonesia. ... Gulf Air (Arabic: ) is the flag carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain. ... Kuwait Airways (Arabic: الخطوط الجوية الكويتية) is the national airline of Kuwait, based in Kuwait City and wholly owned by the Kuwaiti Government. ... Deutsche Lufthansa AG (ISIN: DE0008232125) (pronounced ) is the largest airline in Europe in terms of overall passengers carried (second is Air France - KLM), and the flag carrier of Germany. ... Middle East Airlines (MEA) (Arabic: طيران الشرق الأوسط), also known by its full name Middle East Airlines Air Liban (Arabic: طيران الشرق الأوسط الخطوط الجوية اللبنانية), is the national flag-carrier airline of Lebanon, based in Beirut. ... Oman Air (الطيران العماني) is the national airline of Oman. ... Pakistan International Airlines Corporation, more commonly known as Pakistan International Airlines or PIA (Urdu: پی آئی اے يا پاکستان انٹرنیشنل ایرلاینز), is the flag carrier airline of Pakistan, based in Karachi. ... Pamir Airways is an airline based in Kabul, Afghanistan. ... Qatar Airways (Arabic: القطرية) is the flag carrier airline of Qatar, based in Doha. ... Royal Air Maroc (commonly called RAM) is the national airline of Morocco, based in Casablanca, the airline is the fourth-largest in Africa (behind South African Airways and Egyptair, Air Algerie). ... Royal Jordanian Airlines (Arabic: الملكية الأردنية; transliterated: al-Malakiyah al-Orduniyah) is an airline based in Amman, Jordan, operating scheduled international services over four continents. ... SriLankan Airlines Limited (previously known as Air Lanka) is the national airline of Sri Lanka. ... Look up sama in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Sudan Airways is the national airline of Sudan and is a member of the Arab Air Carriers Organization. ... Swiss International Air Lines (short: Swiss) is the principal airline of Switzerland operating scheduled services in Europe and to North America, South America, Africa and Asia. ... Syrian Boeing 747SP Syrian Boeing 727 Syrian Arab Airlines (Arabic: مؤسسة الطيران العربية السورية), alternative name Syrianair (السورية) is the national flag-carrier airline of Syria, based in Damascus. ... Turkish Airlines, Inc. ... Yemenia Airbus A310 IN Frankfurt Airport Yemenia - Yemen Airways (Arabic: الخطوط الجوية اليمنية) is the national airline of Yemen, based in Sanaa. ...

[edit] Terminal 2

This terminal is used by Saudi Arabian Airlines international flights.

• Saudi Arabian Airlines (Abu Dhabi, Addis Ababa, Alexandria, Algiers, Amman, Asmara, Athens, Bahrain, Bangkok-Suvarnabhumi, Beijing, Beirut, Cairo, Casablanca, Chennai, Colombo, Dakar, Damascus, Dhaka, Dubai, Frankfurt, Geneva, Hong Kong, Hyderabad, Islamabad, Istanbul-Atatürk, Jakarta, Johannesburg, Karachi, Kochi, Kuala Lumpur, Kuwait, Lahore, London-Heathrow, Madrid, Malaga, Manchester, Manila, Milan-Malpensa, Mumbai, Munich, Muscat, Doha, Nairobi, New Delhi, New York-JFK, Nice, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Peshawar, Rome-Fiumicino, Salalah, Sana'a, Sharjah, Singapore, Tehran-Imam Khomeini, Tunis, Vienna, Washington-Dulles).

Boeing 777-200ER Saudi Arabian Airlines (Arabic: الخطوط الجوية العربية السعودية) is the national airline of Saudi Arabia, based in Jeddah. ...

[edit] Terminal 3

This Terminal is used by Saudi Arabian Airlines domestic flights.

• Nas Air (Saudi Arabia) (Jeddah, Gurayat, Madinah)
• Sama Airlines (Jeddah, Dammam, Medinah, Gizan)
• Saudi Arabian Airlines (Abha, AlAhsa, AlBaha, Arar, Bisha, Dammam, Dawadmi, Gassim, Gurayat, Hafar Al-Batin, Ha'il, Jizan, Jeddah, Jouf, King Khalid Military City, Madinah, Najran, Qaisumah, Rafha, Sharurah, Tabuk, Taif, Turaif, Wadi Ad Dawasir, Wedjh, Yanbu)

NasAir is a subsidiary of the Saudi National Air Services (NAS) that is based in Riyadh. ... Sama Airlines founded by Investment Enterprises Ltd, chaired by Prince Bandar bin Khalid al Faisal, with the support of Mango Aviation Partners, a UK firm specialising in low fare airline start-up’s. ... Boeing 777-200ER Saudi Arabian Airlines (Arabic: الخطوط الجوية العربية السعودية) is the national airline of Saudi Arabia, based in Jeddah. ...

[edit] Terminal 4

Currently unused (Closed).

All these terminals are connected to each other by means of three linking buildings, These buildings are 168 meters long. Each terminal is triangularly shaped, it has a triangular base of 47,500 sq meters area. The complex includes a modern VIPs terminal plus restaurants, cafeterias, airlines offices, government departments, hotels and rent-a-car companies counters, banks, first aid clinics and commercial shops.

[edit] Other Terminals

[edit] The Royal Terminal

Heads of state and other high-ranking VIP visitors to the Kingdom are greeted in the Royal Pavilion. The Royal Pavilion has open spaces, garden areas, and fountains. A ceremonial mall 12.5 meters wide and 390 meters long connects it to the mosque. The design and geometry of the building are similar to those of the other terminals architecturally and in the aesthetic respect. Arriving guests can use either air bridges or escalators to enter the building from the aircraft parking area. The ceremonial area on the airside has space for special receptions involving honor guards and bands. Like the passenger terminals, the Royal Pavilion is triangular plan, with a roof composed of 33 arched sections rising to a high point 30 meters above the ground level. Glass walls and windows illuminate the interior of the building. Aesthetics (or esthetics) (from the Greek word αισθητική) is a branch of philosophy dealing with the nature of beauty. ...

[edit] General Aviation Terminal

A General Aviation Complex has been constructed north of runway number 1 for use by private aircraft and is reached by a special access road which runs north from the airport access highway. The general aviation facility includes a passenger terminal, aircraft parking and maintenance facilities, taxiways and parking for visitors, tenants and staff. In addition to privately-owned aircraft, this facility accommodates Saudia’s special flight services group.

[edit] The Mosque

The design of KKIA Mosque is one of the most distinct landmarks in the airport by virtue of its Islamic architecture. It can accommodate 5,000 worshipers inside and another 5,000 in the plaza outside. Its location in the center of the passenger terminal establishes it as the most important structure on the airport and makes it the first sight visitors see as they leave the arrival area. The dome is 33 meters in diameter and towers 40 meters above the arrivals level roadway, higher than all of the other structures in the passenger complex with the exception of the control tower and minaret.

In the northeast corner of the mosque plaza, a minaret rises 39 meters above the plaza level. A spiral stairway inside the minaret provides access to loudspeakers that broadcast the daily five times call prayers. There are 5030 square meters of floor space on the main floor of the mosque and another 765 square meters on the mezzanine floor. A Koranic library off of the main mosque floor has 50 square meters of user space and the same amount for storage space. The library, private offices and lavatories are located along the southeast on southwest walls.

[edit] Landscaping

KKIA has more than 500,000 square metres of landscaping. Over 225,000 trees, vines, shrubs and ground cover plants were used to landscape the airport site and the interior courtyards. A factor in the landscape design was the limited availability of irrigation water. All of the plants selected for the site are tolerant of heat, wind and dry soil conditions. Wherever possible, plants with a history of successful growth in the Riyadh area or similar environments were selected.

[edit] Safety

This facility has two separate Fire Houses, with several modern fire fighting vehicles, and trained firefighters. The location also has security equipment and a security force. Fire station in Kostroma, Russia (1823-26). ... For the Scottish post-punk band, see The Fire Engines. ... This article is about the profession. ... For other uses, see Security (disambiguation). ... A security officer guards a construction site in the Peoples Republic of China. ...

[edit] History

The United States Air Force effectively took over these facilities temporarily from August 1990 through May 1991 as an airbase for aerial refueling tanker operations in support of the Gulf War. The military unit based here was the 1703rd Air Refueling Wing (Provisional). “The U.S. Air Force” redirects here. ... Lajes Airbase in the Azores islands, Portugal An Airbase, sometimes referred to as a military airport or airfield, provides basing and support of military aircraft. ... Boom and receptacle: USAF KC-135R Stratotanker, two F-15s (twin fins) and two F-16s, on an aerial refueling training mission IAF Il-76 MD refueling two Mirage 2000 fighter jets German Luftwaffe Airbus A310 MRTT ready for refueling, shown at the Paris Air Show 2007 Aerial refueling, also... For other uses, see Iraq war (disambiguation). ... A military unit is an organisation within an armed force. ... It has been suggested that Provisional Wings be merged into this article or section. ...

The 1703rd ARW(P) was comprised mainly of KC-135 Stratotankers and used the north western firehouse as its headquarters of air operations. These tanker operations were supported by Patriot Missile battery elements of the United States Army's 5th Battalion 52d Air Defense Artillery, a large contingent of Security Forces from F. E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, Wyoming, as well as small French and New Zealand military contingents of the Gulf war coalition. The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an aerial refueling tanker aircraft. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Four Patriot missiles like the one shown here can be fired from this mobile launcher between loadings. ... The United States Army is the largest and oldest branch of the armed forces of the United States. ... 5/52 ADA unit insignia The 5th Battalion 52nd Air Defense Artillery is an air defense artillery battalion in the United States Army. ... Security Forces members survey the installation perimeter at Manas Air Base. ... Francis E. Warren Air Force Base (IATA: FEW, ICAO: KFEW) is a base of the United States Air Force. ... Nickname: Location in Wyoming Coordinates: , Country State County Laramie Founded 1867 Government  - Mayor Jack R. Spiker Area  - Total 21. ... For other uses, see Iraq war (disambiguation). ...

In addition, during the 1990-1991 Gulf War, the airport was the home to 205 General Evacuation Hospital RAMC of the British Army, who were accommodated at the nearby Singles Compound.

It is an alternative landing site for NASA's Space Shuttle. For other uses, see NASA (disambiguation). ... This article is about the space vehicle. ...

[edit] See also

• List of airports in Saudi Arabia
• Transportation in Saudi Arabia

// Airports in Saudi Arabia Also see: Category:Airports in Saudi Arabia International Airports Note: Jeddah is Saudi Arabias busiest airport, used heavily during the Hajj season. ... Transportation in Saudi Arabia Railways: total: 1,392 km standard gauge: 1,392 km 1. ...

[edit] External links

• Airport information for OERK at World Aero Data