The Minister of Transport inspects services and travel movements during Ramadan at Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport

March 22, 2024

His Excellency the Minister of Transport and Logistics and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), Engineer Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser, reviewed today the readiness of services and the smooth flow of travel during the holy month of Ramadan at Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Medina. He was accompanied by His Excellency the President of GACA, Professor Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al-Duailej, CEO of Airports Holding, Engineer Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Maghlouth, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Taiba Airport Development Company, Dr. Ibrahim Al-Rajhi, and CEO of Taiba Airport Operating Company, Engineer Sufyan Abdul Salam.

The inspection tour reviewed the airport facilities and services, the main passenger lounges, and the Hajj and Umrah lounge, where Al-Jasser inspected the passenger lounge services for the arrivals and departures. The tour also passed through the 64 counters at the travel check-in areas, and the passport check and security inspection areas.

The group additionally reviewed the international departures area, comprising 31 counters for passport procedures and 11 security inspection areas. Al-Jasser also inspected the connecting flights area and the self-service machines for issuing tourist visas in the international arrival halls, as well as the 34 counters in the customs area.

During the tour, Al-Jasser was briefed on the project for the second phase of the expansion of Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport, which includes rehabilitating the current passenger lounge and allocating it entirely to international flights, to reach a capacity of 12 million passengers annually.

Plans also include establishing a new passenger lounge for domestic flights with a capacity of 3.5 million passengers. Additionally an administrative building will be established for airport authorities, with an estimated area of 3,000 square meters. The project also aims to raise the airport’s capacity to 17 million passengers annually by 2027. Al-Jasser said the intensification of efforts to facilitate the movement of visitors and travelers would help provide a rich and distinctive travel experience.

Prince Muhammad Abdulaziz International Airport has been achieving high operational numbers, with the number of passengers from the beginning of the month of Rajab until March 21st reaching 2,341,768 million, both arriving and departing, while the number of flights for the same period reached 14,814 thousand. The airport’s highest operational day on record was on Rajab 24, with over 43 thousand passengers on board 256 flights.