<The pilot operation of the new Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Medina, the first airport in the Kingdom to be built and operated entirely by the private sector under the Build, Own and Operate (BTO) method, in cooperation with Taiba Airport Development Company, representing a consortium of several companies, will begin on Sunday. According to the General Authority of Civil Aviation, the trial operation of the airport will be for a limited period until the date of the official opening and inauguration of the airport, in order to identify the preparations and ensure the readiness of all systems, devices and equipment for operation, in preparation for the launch of commercial operation with a capacity of eight million passengers annually in the first phase of development.

According to the General Authority of Civil Aviation, the trial operation of the airport will have a capacity of eight million passengers per year in the first phase of development. The airport is located in an area estimated at about four million square meters, while it includes travel and departure halls with a total area of 153 thousand m2, providing 16 travel gates connected by 32 bridges, connecting them directly to the aircraft, 64 counters for travel procedures and 24 self-service counters, with an additional 16 counters during the Hajj season.

<The airport has ten luggage conveyor zones in the arrival halls, six waiting halls for pilgrims with a total area of 10,500 m2, in addition to 200 bus stops, to ensure the easy and smooth movement of pilgrims and Umrah pilgrims. Parking lots for 1,500 cars, 200 parking lots for car rental companies, a mosque and an open square with an area of 3,920 m2 were also provided.