March 22- The Saudi Arabian General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) has invited companies to participate in bids for the construction of the country’s first privately-owned airport in Madina. "Tenders, which are scheduled to be floated in May, will be received until the end of October this year and the final contract will be awarded to the successful bidder most probably by December 2010," said a source at GACA. The airport will be ready by 2014.
Ala’a Samman, general manager of business development, domestic airports, GACA, said the airport will be built on the other side of the city’s present Prince Mohammad Bin Abdul Aziz Airport. The old airport will be torn down once the new once is ready, he added.
Earlier, it was decided to convert the Abdul Aziz airport into an international airport with the support of the private sector, keeping in mind the huge surge in passenger traffic in Haj and Umrah seasons.
