HAIL Regional Airport will witness effective Thursday (Oct. 27) the first flight operated by Nesma Airlines, after the company gained national commercial air operation license from the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA). The Director General of Northern Airports at GACA, Hamad Alkhemaish explained that Nesma Airlines will make the city of Hail the center of its operations after it has been chosen to operate Hail as hub airport, which is a start of national project for hub airports. This project aims to facilitate travel of citizens and residents alike throughout the Kingdom and to neighboring countries and to not totally rely on international airports. Khemaish went on to say the Nesma flights will begin tomorrow through Hail Airport on an average of two round trips a day (Qaishumah – Tabuk) other destination will be gradually added on a weekly basis and will help connect all of the Kingdom regional airports with Hail Hub airport. He added that during the coming period Nesma will work on gradually increasing operating frequencies, stressing that other airliners will operate flights scheduled flights through Hail airport as usual. Airlines includes (Saudia, Fly Nas, Fly Dubai, Air Arabia and Egyptian Nesma), and eventually the total number of flight at Hail Airport will reach 200 weekly flights. For his part the CEO of Nesma Air, Faisal Alturki said the airlines will operate one flight to Turaif, two flights to Qaisumah, two flight to Arar, two flights to Rafha, three flights to Aljouf, three flights to Tabuk, three flights to Qaseem, and four flights to Madinah. Major cities such as Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam will also be included in the operation schedule to be announced in November. And about the company fleet, Alturki said that the fleet will reach 6 in the next three years which include ATR72-600 which will operate flights to northern cities, and one Airbus A319, another A320 to operate flights from Hail Hub Airport to the major cities. Two A321 will also be in commercial operation to Jeddah, Riyadh and Dammam. Alturki explained that the company has already started selling tickets through its official website and the company's own outlets and travel agencies. He pointed out the Hail Airport administration handed Nesama Airlines all the necessary locations within the airport to start aircraft maintenance site, flight catering site and flight operation site. Alturki went on to thank the efforts made by the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) in ending all qualification and licensing procedures within one year, which the fastest start for any commercial airliner. And he wished that this will produce that the positive shift that GACA is aspiring for. It is worth mentioning that Hail airport is subject to an expansion study of its existing terminals in the near future. An expansion of aircraft parking bay to keep up with the number of flights. A project has been awarded recently for the parking structure to a specialized international company. The project come as part of the pursuit by GACA to prove better services and improve Hail Airport operation. Work began on Hail airport project on 1394H and in 1399 the airport was inaugurated. Its strategic location is very important for air traffic in the Middle East, where lies the importance of Hail Airport site, as it is set on a shipping lanes that link the continents of Europe, Asia and Africa. This made Hail airport a strategic location for neighboring regional countries, which made it easier to operate international and regional flights to and from the airport. The General Authority of Civil Aviation is the official operator of the airport. The airport has one runway that is equipped to receive the majority of medium and large size aircrafts. There are also three helicopter landing pads and a landing strip for air ambulance, seven parking bays for med and large size aircrafts. The airport currently runs 83 weekly flights between local and international on a 24 hour basis. The latest 2015 stats put the number of passengers at (801,000) annually, it is expected in 2016 for that number to reach (850,000) passengers, an increase of 7%. Hail Airport witnessed a number of development stages, which are as follows: 2009 – 2010 witnessed the development of the airport runway to accommodate medium and large size aircraft, the types of Boeing 747-777, Airbus 320-321-330. In 2012 expansion work for the terminals and other airport facilities was initiated to keep pace with the start of international operation. In 2013 expansion of international terminal was completed and operation of international flights to and from Hail Airport was commenced with a number of different airline companies. In 2015 Hail Airport was chosen to be a hub airport linking all of the Kingdom's airports gradually due to its strategic location. In early 2016 the General Authority of Civil Aviation, in cooperation with Nesma started prepping the airport to be operated as a hub airport. The hub airport idea is considered one of the initiatives GACA sought to complete in an effort to provide air transport service linking all cities within the Kingdom form its northern border to its southern one.
