Saudi Air Navigation Services (SANS) and NATS have agreed to collaborate on a capacity enhancement study at King Khalid International Airport, as part of the Kingdom’s growth and development plans.   

The agreement was signed by Abdulaziz Alzaid, the CEO of SANS, and Martin Rolfe, the CEO of NATS, alongside a broader strategic partnership. 

The signings serve as an indication of the organisations' mutual intention to collaborate on projects regarding Air Traffic Management (ATM), with the aim of ensuring the secure expansion of air traffic throughout the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia is making major investments in its aviation infrastructure to help drive the Kingdom’s collective growth ambitions in support of its Vision 2030 strategy. Over the next decade, Saudi Arabia aspire to triple annual passenger traffic by 330 million, including two global long haul connecting hubs and increasing air cargo volume to 4.5 million tonnes.

Following NATS’ ACE (Airport Capacity Enhancement) programme, the project will provide a benchmarked, data driven assessment that will deliver valuable insights into current operations with recommendations on how airport capacity can safely expand.  

SANS is responsible for providing air navigation services in Saudi Arabia, where it plays a pivotal role in delivering safe Air Traffic Management (ATM) within Saudi Arabia’s airspace and across the country’s growing network of airports. Working together, SANS and NATS will deliver a comprehensive airport capacity study at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. 

Image: NATS