Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAUDIA) inaugurated its new operations building at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah (JED).

The highly equipped 2-story building, complete with state-of-the-art infrastructure and technology, covers an area of 50,000 square metres and can accommodate more than 1,100 staff.

SAUDIA says the control centre will serve as a key enabler of Saudi’s aviation strategy, under a much broader national transport and logistics strategy, supporting efforts to make JED a global hub. The building, situated near the far side of the airport, serves as a proper mini terminal, complete with AI-powered self-boarding kiosks and five luggage carousels, as well as about 15 meeting rooms for preflight cabin crew briefings.

Built by Saudi Airlines Real Estate Development Company (SARED), the new operations building consists of multiple departments, including an extensive operations control centre. It is the largest centre of its kind in the Middle East and the 12th largest globally.

The centre coordinates between the group’s business lines, communicates with aircraft via its state-of-the-art facilities to ensure control of its operational plans, and tracks air traffic across all domestic and international airports in real time.

“It has been designed to bring every sector directly involved in flight operations under one roof to streamline communication and ensure seamless implementation throughout. The building also features captivating wall-to-wall displays that depict all currently operating aviation systems,” the airline described.

The building also boasts an emergency response centre and a safety and quality assurance department that oversees the day-to-day operations of all concerned airport entities. The department is tasked with issuing technical recommendations to maintain operational safety, which has always been a hallmark of SAUDIA’s safety track record.