AviationNews – Kuwait’s aviation authority has announced a limited, phased reopening of Terminal 4 at Kuwait International Airport to accommodate regional and international carriers. The strategic move aims to expand travel choices and alleviate severe peak-season crowding for thousands of passengers during the busy summer months.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation formalized the operational expansion to safely accommodate designated Gulf, Arab, and global foreign airlines. Under the newly implemented system, flight schedules will run daily within a strictly monitored window between 4:00 AM and 10:00 PM. This phased activation follows an intensive safety, security, and infrastructure coordination review with government entities and major ground handling agencies across the airport network.
To ensure optimal passenger flow, terminal authorities have fully activated 50 check-in counters alongside expanded passport control and specialized security checkpoints. During this initial launch phase, participating airlines can operate one daily flight each as airport management systematically tests capacity thresholds. Crucially, the public authority confirmed that dedicated air cargo operations and private aviation traffic will continue to function normally without any commercial interruptions.
“This strategic decision reflects our clear national responsibility to support travelers and ensure absolute operational continuity,” stated Abdullah Al-Rajhi, Deputy Director General for Aviation Safety, Air Transport and Aviation Security. “We are working in close alignment with our airline partners to safely expand travel options for citizens and residents while maintaining world-class efficiency.”
Looking ahead, civil aviation officials expect passenger volumes to steadily climb throughout the summer as carriers lock in additional flight slots. Airport representatives strongly advise all departing travelers to arrive at the facility at least three hours before their scheduled departure time.
The successful launch of the phased plan injects much-needed capacity into the region’s transport network at a critical seasonal juncture. By slowly scaling up these daily operations, the facility effectively balances safety protocols with a rapidly growing regional travel demand.
