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RIYADH: King Abdulaziz International Airport in the Saudi port city of Jeddah served 49.1 million passengers in 2024, representing a 14 percent growth compared to the previous year. 

In a statement, Jeddah Airports Co. said that this achievement marks a “historic milestone,” as KAIA handled the highest annual operational figure in the history of airports in the Kingdom in 2024. 

The airport’s busiest day ever recorded was on Dec. 31, 2024, when it served more than 174,600 passengers. 

December also became the busiest month in the airport’s history, with passenger numbers surpassing 4.7 million. 

Strengthening the aviation sector is crucial for ��������Ƶ, as the Kingdom aims to position itself as a global tourism hub by the end of this decade. 

The National Tourism Strategy of ��������Ƶ aims to attract 150 million visitors by 2030 and increase the sector’s contribution to the nation’s gross domestic product from 6 percent to 10 percent.

KAIA also reported a significant increase in total flights last year, which exceeded 278,000, marking an 11 percent increase compared to 2023. 

The press statement added that KAIA also handled 47.1 million bags in 2024, with a 21 percent growth in operational throughput. 

Mazen Johar, CEO of Jeddah Airports attributed this rise in numbers to the KAIA’s accelerated operational growth, enabled by the Kingdom’s leadership and the close oversight of the Ministry of Transport and Logistics. 

Saudia achieves the highest punctuality rate

The Kingdom’s national carrier, Saudia, has topped the list of global airlines in departure on-time performance with a punctuality rate of 88.82 percent in 2024, according to new data from the independent aviation tracking site Cirium. 

According to a press statement, Saudia also ranked second globally in arrival on-time performance, achieving a rate of 86.35 percent. 

Over the past 12 months, the airline successfully operated 192,560 flights across its network of over 100 destinations spanning four continents. 

“We are proud to sustain excellence in global operational performance, which aligns with the objectives of the National Transport and Logistics Strategy and the National Aviation Sector Strategy,” said Ibrahim Al-Omar, director general of Saudia Group. 

He added: “This achievement reflects the collective efforts of Saudia Group employees across all business units and highlights the integrated role played by various sectors in ensuring operational efficiency. These efforts are directly tied to enhancing and improving the guest experience.” 

Saudia operates over 530 daily flights, connecting more than 100 destinations across four continents to the Kingdom with a fleet of 144 aircraft.

In the statement, the airline added that it plans to expand its fleet with 130 new aircraft in the coming years, increasing flight frequency and seat capacity to existing destinations while introducing new destinations to its network. 

RIYADH: Egypt’s Nuclear Power Plants Authority has secured a permit to construct a spent atomic fuel storage facility at the El-Dabaa power plant, located approximately 320 km northwest of Cairo.

The NPPA plans to begin the construction of the facility in 2025. This storage solution will provide safe, dry, and scientifically advanced containment for spent nuclear fuel, with the capacity to store waste for up to 100 years, all while adhering to the highest standards of safety and environmental protection.

El-Dabaa, Egypt’s first nuclear power plant and the country’s largest energy project in decades, is being developed in collaboration with Russia’s Rosatom. The plant will house four VVER-1200 reactors, the same type as those in operation at Russia’s Leningrad and Novovoronezh plants, as well as Belarus’s Ostrovets.

In a statement issued by the NPPA, Amjad El-Wakeel, chairman of the authority, highlighted the achievement as a significant milestone in Egypt’s nuclear program. “The authority has successfully secured the permit for the construction of the spent nuclear fuel storage facility at El-Dabaa, aligning with the project’s implementation timeline,” the statement read.

The NPPA formally submitted the permit request to Egypt’s Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Authority on June 12, 2024, accompanied by comprehensive design and technical documentation reviewed by nuclear specialists.

Following a series of productive technical meetings between NPPA and NRRA experts, the permit was granted during NRRA’s seventh session on Dec. 31, 2024.

The decision came after a successful site inspection by NRRA representatives, who visited the El-Dabaa plant from Dec.1 to 5, 2024, to assess the site’s readiness for construction.

This development highlights Egypt’s commitment to advancing its nuclear energy program in line with both national priorities and international safety standards, the statement further noted.

Located in the Matrouh governorate along the Mediterranean coast, 250 km west of Alexandria, the El-Dabaa site offers numerous strategic advantages, including access to rail and road networks, low seismic activity, and an abundant supply of cooling water.

The El-Dabaa nuclear project, which has been in the planning stages since 1954, received formal approval in 1983 and was publicly announced in 2007. Following approval from the International Atomic Energy Agency in 2010, Egypt finalized agreements with Russia in 2015. Contracts came into effect in December 2017, and construction officially commenced in July 2022.