Interview: How Abdulaziz Al-Asaker and Riyadh Airports Company are shaping a new aviation future

للعلياء متوجهين محققين احلامنا.

The sign on Abdulaziz Al-Asaker’s desk translates as ‘Towards the supreme, fulfilling our dreams’, a highly appropriate mantra for Riyadh Airports Company (RAC) as it continues transforming the facilities and consumer experience at King Khalid International Airport (KKIA) with impressive speed, investment and assurance.

“We crowned 2024 with the recent relaunch of Terminal 1, which really showed our ambitions,” says the RAC Chief Commercial Officer, speaking to The Moodie Davitt Report at RAC headquarters near KKIA.

“With T3 and T4 we worked according to the limitations we have but when it comes to T1 we built the commercial areas from scratch.

“What made it more beautiful and gave us such an excellent presence for the commercial area is that we have very strong partners. We have Avolta, SSP and Lagardère Travel Retail – very big players participating in the tenders – which allowed us to select high-level brands to elevate the terminal.

“For example, this year we will have not only casual dining but also fine dining – for the first time in a Saudi Airport. We had a complete refurbishment of duty-free and we launched 30 retail and F&B outlets across terminals 5, 4, 3 and 1.”

It is indeed a powerhouse line-up, which combined with offerings from other international players such as Plaza Premium Group and renowned local companies, underlines the intense industry interest in the Saudi aviation sector, in general, and Riyadh, in particular.

It’s not just about retail, food & beverage and hospitality. AlArabiya is taking advertainment at KKIA to the next level, both outdoors and inside the terminals, by installing 100% digital screens with unique shapes and design for the first time in the airport’s history.

Al-Asaker is excited about prospects for 2025 and beyond, building on a stellar 2024. “From all aspects 2024 was tremendous. Whether we are talking passenger numbers, the improved customer passenger experience, cargo movement, capex or projects launched, it has been amazing,” he comments.

“And when we talk about conversion [from passengers to shoppers], in particular, we have a lot to show you across terminals 1, 3 and 4.”

Heavy investment in the terminal facilities is already paying off handsomely with commercial revenues having outpaced strong passenger growth (+16.6% to 37.2 million) in 2024. But the job is far from over, Al-Asaker insists. And perhaps it never will be, he adds with a smile.

“I don’t think we will reach the limit because there is no limit,” he observes. “We’ll keep pushing further and further and enhance efficiency until we know we are providing an amazing offer to our passengers while also getting the right return for us.

“Under the leadership of the CEO of Riyadh Airports Company, Mr. Ayman A. Aboabah, I am fortunate to have a very strong and dedicated management team, whose relentless efforts have been instrumental in driving our transformation journey.

“Their commitment to excellence has resulted in exceeding our revenue targets by over +15%. Thanks to their hard work, we now have more offerings, stronger partnerships, and a significant increase in passenger movements across all terminals.

Any time commercial revenues growth outpaces its passenger number equivalent spells good news, especially when the traffic momentum is as strong as KKIA’s.

“Since 2018, as I recall, we have faced numerous legacy challenges that we have gradually overcome. Today, we are enjoying the rewards of our achievements,” Al-Asaker observes.

We recognised early on what needed to change, and the learning curve – along with our collective experiences and efforts over the past few years – is now delivering tangible results.”

At the time of The Moodie Davitt Report’s visit in January, the T3 and T4 offers were almost complete, revealed a startling transformation to the airport since our last visit in 2024. Change has happened on numerous levels, including KKIA becoming the first airport in the Kingdom to open arrivals duty free, an important legislative breakthrough in 2024.

“I want to thank our partners from ZATCA (Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority) who really helped us to enable the arrivals shops and make the concept work,” Al-Asaker comments. “Also Lagardère Travel Retail – they did an amazing job to meet all the requirements with the licence and operate it in time.”

Arrivals shopping is still in its infancy, he emphasises, with Saudi nationals still discovering the concept. But signs to date are promising. “It’s doing very well. It just needs time to spike,” he comments.

“Remember the Saudi perception about our duty free was not so good in the past, as they would find just an average offering. But when we launched the new duty free in T3 and T4 we really changed the game.

“Now people come to shop. The first time they saw it they were surprised. But that’s now what they want and expect. It’s a matter of awareness, and we will keep exceeding the passenger expectations every time.”

Bringing Saudi to the world and the world to Saudi

All these elements come together to provide travellers with an experience that reflects our authenticity and traditions, Al-Asaker says.

“In Terminal 1, we revitalised the entire terminal, but one of our main goals was to preserve its original authenticity as it was built [T1 opened in 1983]. While everything was reconstructed to resemble the original design, the underlying infrastructure—such as technology and the fire system—is entirely new.

“Through Salmani architecture – an urban style that preserves cultural heritage while embracing modernisation – we have established a foundation that represents Saudi Arabia’s authenticity. Our second layer of cultural and authentic expression lies in the commercial area, and you can feel it as soon as you enter.

“The first thing you’ll notice is a dallah, our traditional Saudi coffee pot, as we pour Arabic coffee and offer it to our guests. This symbolises the generosity, authenticity and hospitality of the Saudi people.

“At the same time, we are very mindful of the need to provide a variety of offerings for our travellers. That’s why we have Wolfgang Puck and Pizza Express, for example. What does that symbolise? It symbolises that, while we totally embrace our authenticity as Saudis, we also welcome and celebrate other cultures –Italian, Asian  and beyond –with our hospitality and generosity.

“As you walk through the terminal, you’ll find many elements that reflect our traditions. You’ll see high-quality souvenirs representing Riyadh and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and let’s not forget the iconic KKIA fountain, which stands as one of the terminal’s defining landmarks.

“Even before reaching the duty-free area, you’ll encounter ‘A Taste of Saudi’, where we proudly showcase our dates, traditional foods, merchandise, and gift items – ideal for international visitors looking to bring home thoughtful gifts for their loved ones.”

Riyadh Air’s game-changing impact

KKIA will receive a huge boost when new carrier Riyadh Air launches in the near future. Riyadh Air is being positioned as a premium global airline and close collaboration between it and KKIA will further boost passenger convenience and choice, while bringing tremendous benefits to the city, region and country.

“It’s a big development but it didn’t happen by coincidence,” says Al-Asaker. “It is following Vision 2030 [the government’s transformative economic and social reform blueprint that is diversifying the economy and opening Saudi Arabia to the world, within which tourism – sustainable and regenerative tourism plays an integral role] and our leaders are putting all these big initiatives together to implement the vision and make it happen.

“So Riyadh Air is coming to King Khalid International Airport. We know there will be demand and as an airport operator responsible for capex, we are expanding to accommodate the expected demand related to Riyadh Air.

“We are building piers, extensions and overall more capacity to accommodate that demand. King Khalid International Airport will be the hub, and the airline is under the name of our city, so I feel proud about it.

“We have a massive development plan happening,” Al-Asaker continues. “We want to inject more international airlines to allow greater connectivity, east with west, west with east. But not only connectivity, we also want to create demand and different destinations to meet the Vision 2023 targets.”

That anticipated growth in airlines and traffic means airside facilities must be expanded and enhanced. “We are working on a very ambitious plan to add more than 60 aircraft stands to accommodate the coming demand, for example,” he explains.

“Besides Riyadh Air, Flynas and Flyadeal will also have new aircraft. Under the leadership of our Chief Engineering & Project Management Officer Waleed Aldayel we are expanding through a programme called STEP – short term expansion plan – which started in 2022. It ends in 2026/2027 and involves a massive infrastructure upgrade to accommodate the demand.”

Ancient and modern

There is no doubting the strength of that demand. Last year RAC was projecting 33.5 million passengers through KKIA but ended up serving 37.6 million.

That growth, Al-Asaker points out, is being fuelled by what is happening across the Kingdom economically, socially and via a dazzling array of sporting, cultural and commercial events such as the Saudi F1 Grand Prix, international boxing and UFC fights, Cityscape Global (the region’s leading real estate event), the Spanish Super Cup and many more.

Such attractions are complemented by the redevelopment of local wonders such as Diriyah, an extraordinary UNESCO World Heritage Site on the outskirts of Riyadh.

“There’s a tremendous attention from our leadership to the rebirth of Diriyah. What you see today is just a fragment,” Al-Asaker comments. “When you return, maybe next year, you will see what is being developed. It’s phenomenal. They have brought the ruins back to life and made a story out of it. This is our story from 300 years back and we are very proud of it.”

A societal and economic vision like no other

That pride is felt at all levels of Saudi society. With more than 60% of the Kingdom’s approximate 34 million population under 30 there is also a palpable energy in the country, one enhanced by the sheer pace of transformation over recent years. Al-Asaker’s is instructive when I inquire how the combination of demographics and empowerment has affected business life and the workforce.

“If you flash back just ten years you would not see what you see right now,” he replies. “For example, the empowerment of women not only in the workforce but also in places of leadership. We have Princess Rima [Her Royal Highness Princess Reema Bandar Al-Saud] who is our Ambassador to the United States of America. That shows you the leadership have trust in women in leadership and in the workforce.

“In terms of diversity we had a very tough target from a Vision 2030 point of view relating to women’s inclusion in the workforce. It was supposed to be reached by 2030 and it has already been achieved.

“So now there is a new, tough target. This also translates to us here in the airport, where we are enabling our sisters by hiring them, giving them more empowerment and putting more women in leadership positions.”

Al-Asaker describes proudly how he is teaching his own daughter, now 17, to drive, something that would not have been permitted before June 2018. “When she goes to university she will have her licence and her own car.”

Our time is up and it’s time to start an extensive tour of the revamped terminals 1, 2 and 3. But I want to ask a final question, a repeat, in fact, of one I asked Al-Asaker back in 2022 during my first visit to Riyadh. How does it feel as a Saudi national to be in the frontline of such a high-profile sector, one whose dramatic transformation mirrors so much of what is happening in Saudi society?

“If you ask me or ask the 34 million-plus people living in Saudi Arabia, they will tell you they are very proud of what’s happening here with the change that we have materialised,” Al-Asaker responds.

“In the beginning many people were sceptical but now after years of implementation they see Vision 2030 being achieved. That makes me even prouder that I am working in one of the most strategic areas in terms of making the airport industry the best it can be in accepting tourists and in helping to diversify the economy.

“All these airport expansion projects are driven by Vision 2030. So for me, before I go to sleep and ask myself what I have done in 2024, I know I am part of this vision and that makes me so proud. Not only am I part of it but I have helped deliver it for the future. Everybody in Saudi Arabia is working towards achieving the Vision 2030 objectives.”

RAC sees the way that KKIA welcomes visitors to the Kingdom as crucial in improving perceptions of Saudi Arabia, arguably the most misunderstood country on the planet.

“In fact, not just us, but also our partners at the airport such as the security agencies – everyone. We want people to feel welcomed to Saudi Arabia and that in turn will become contagious. So we are working very closely with our fellow stakeholders to deliver that.”

He concludes with another personal anecdote. “My uncle travels a lot and he was always teasing me about the terminals, saying that we needed to increase and improve the services. He was always giving me a lot of advice about what to do. But a lot of those things take time to materialise.

“Luckily, he was one of the first passengers to use Terminal 1 after its reopening. Later he called me and said, ‘Congratulations. This is what I call an amazing terminal and duty-free offering. But also I remember this terminal from when I was young and you did not change some things. You did not change the fountain and this is what I love. Thank you Abdulaziz.”

It’s a nice story and Al-Asaker beams with pleasure as he relates it. “You see,” he concludes. “This is part of the big story of Saudi Arabia. We want to modernise but we also want to keep our authenticity. And our airport is authentic.”

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE: A KING KHALID PHOTO GALLERY