Over the next decade, airports in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia are planning expansion with the aim of welcoming hundreds of millions of additional passengers. This expansion process brings Heathrow to a framework comparable to its triple capacity targets and is in line with Istanbul Airport’s comprehensive expansion projects.
Istanbul Airport plans to have three additional runways and six runways in total after it becomes operational in 2018; Thus, the annual passenger capacity will increase to 200 million and will be in a position to compete with the current Dubai capacity. Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths emphasizes that they aim to turn into a mega center that will meet regional demand and states that they expect 100 million visitors per year by 2027. However, this prediction contains signals showing that the capacity will grow further by 2050. Griffiths summarizes the attraction of reaching most of the world’s population in short distances with these words: “More than two-thirds are a four-hour flight away, the rest an eight-hour flight away, creating a tremendous gravitational field.”
The focus of competition is no longer just the USA and EuropeThe table reminds us that even Dubai’s rival Abu Dhabi has reached a passenger capacity of 45 million per year. FT states that Middle Eastern airports are accelerating the expansion race, and this race is turning to creating global connection hubs. The words of Istanbul Airport CEO Selahattin Bilgen also emphasize the location advantage of this competition: “Istanbul’s location in the middle of Africa, Asia and Europe provides a great advantage.”
The capacity targets of Istanbul Airport and Dubai are running parallel.Istanbul will strengthen its 200 million passenger target with additional runways and will be in a position to compete with Dubai’s target. The FT report states that Istanbul competes with the southern centers in connecting flights and at the same time maintains its role as a tourism destination in its own right. The talent conflict between airport management and IT experts also stands out as part of this competition; in the statements made “To preserve our talents, we train new ones.”His words emphasize the dynamic impact of the regional centers ecosystem.
Saudi Arabia’s mega plan: Riyadh AirIt contributes to the goal of becoming a global connection center in this region. Established in line with the vision of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the airline aims to reach 100 destinations in five years, and it is said that its orders for 182 aircraft will trigger growth. While it is stated that Riyadh Air has completed its internal trials and will be opened to the public during the Christmas period, CEO Tony Douglas also emphasizes that Riyadh needs to become a global connection center: “Establishing non-stop connections at another hub is unacceptable.”
