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Turkish construction companies are continuing to pursue airport development contracts in Riyadh despite a series of Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia’s aviation infrastructure, according to company executives.
The attacks on Saudi airports killed at least 19 people last week.
Saturday’s strike on King Khalid International Airport claimed 12 lives and injured 309, while another attack on Sunday killed one person and wounded 11.
However, Turkish media report that TAV Construction, IC Ictas Construction, and Limak Construction continue pursuing contracts for Terminal 6 at the planned King Salman International Airport, which will incorporate the existing King Khalid International Airport into a larger complex.
TAV Construction Chairperson Sani Sener said the company had no intention of abandoning its bid because of the attacks, and bids will be submitted at the end of December.
"For now, we are the only Turkish company. But other Turkish companies may join different groups later," Sener told business news outlet Patronlar Dunyasi.
TAV previously built Terminal 5 at King Khalid International Airport under a $400 million contract awarded in 2013 to the company and its Saudi partner, Al-Arrab Contracting. The project was completed in 2016.
Limak Construction is targeting a different part of the project, focusing on runways and aprons.
"The process is moving slowly. Yes, bids are expected in December, but there are constant postponements," the company representatives said.
"We plan to bid for the runways and aprons together with two foreign partners."
IC Ictas, meanwhile, completed four terminals at King Khalid International Airport with its Saudi partner Al Rashid Trading and Contracting, finishing Terminals 3 and 4 in 2022 and Terminals 1 and 2 in 2025 under projects valued at approximately $1.4 billion.
In May 2026, consortiums involving Limak and IC Ictas advanced in the tender process for Terminal 6 airfield infrastructure, a package potentially worth up to $800 million. IC Ictas and Al-Rashid also secured a separate 800 million SAR ($214 million) contract for the new airport's private aviation terminal in October.
Launched in November 2022 as part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 economic diversification strategy, King Salman International Airport aims to establish Riyadh as a major global hub for air travel, trade and logistics.
The 57-square-kilometer development, estimated to cost $30 billion, will combine existing airport terminals with new passenger facilities, six parallel runways and extensive logistics infrastructure, as well as commercial, residential, hospitality and recreational facilities.
The airport aims to accommodate 100 million passengers annually by 2030, with capacity projected to rise to 185 million passengers and 3.5 million metric tons of cargo a year by 2050.
The broader development is intended to increase Saudi Arabia’s international air connectivity and support the expansion of tourism and trade.
Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, which owns the airport development company, estimates that the project could contribute 27 billion SAR ($7.2 billion) annually to the kingdom’s non-oil gross domestic product and create 103,000 direct and indirect jobs.
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