Jet Aviation’s operation is to relocate to a new and larger 600-square-meter facility area within the shared FBO terminal at Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport.
On the ground floor of the new double-story facility will be the reception, a large customer lounge, three VIP lounges and a meeting room. The upper floor will accommodate a crew lounge and office space. The facility also features an office located airside for handling and line crew. The company expects its new facility to be operational during October, November or December this year.
Khaled Al- Ghamdi, general manager of Jet Aviation in Saudi Arabia, said, “We are delighted to move our FBO to these newly refurbished, more spacious premises. With the expected traffic growth to Riyadh in the coming years, the additional space is necessary and offers great benefit in terms of passenger and crew comfort.
“As the country’s capital and main business center, Riyadh is a key strategic location for us and we are delighted to strengthen our brand through this investment.”
Jet Aviation’s FBO services in Riyadh include passenger and baggage handling, immigration and customs clearance, transportation, hotel and catering coordination, aircraft refueling, interior deep cleaning, exterior wash and turnaround assistance.
The news comes amidst Jet Aviation’s efforts to expand and improve its global FBO network, now at 35 locations. The company is investing heavily to ensure its facilities are designed and equipped to meet all the business-aviation needs of its global customer base.
Jet Aviation’s FBO business in EMEA and APAC saw significant growth in 2018. The company acquired the Hawker Pacific chain of FBOs throughout Australia and Asia in May. Then, in September, it established ground-handling services at Prince Abdul Mohsin Bin Abdulaziz Regional Airport in Yanbu, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, followed by the acquisition of the KLM Jet Center businesses in Amsterdam and Rotterdam in October.
In the US and Caribbean, construction or renovation is under way – or soon will be – at seven of Jet Aviation’s 12 regional locations. This includes its newest in Scottsdale, Arizona, where Jet Aviation recently announced it has acquired a stake in the Scottsdale Jet Center. It also includes the entirely new FBO and hangar complex nearing completion at Van Nuys, California and hangar expansions in Teterboro, New Jersey, San Juan, Puerto Rico and West Palm Beach, Florida.
Significant renovations will also soon be underway at the FBOs in Teterboro, New Jersey and Dallas, Texas and a storm-damaged hangar will be replaced in Houston.
David Paddock, who becomes president of Jet Aviation on 1 July after serving four years as senior vice president and general manager of regional operations in the USA, said, “Our acquisitions and facility expansions throughout our FBO network demonstrate our commitment to delivering industry-leading services exactly where our customers need them.
“We are moving strategically and purposefully toward our top priority of exceeding customer expectations across our full range of business aviation services.”
