Madinah Airport Ready for Peak Traffic
MADINAH — The new Prince Muhammad Bin Abdulaziz International Airport will receive more than 350,000 travelers who will arrive in the holy city during the holy month of Ramadan to pay homage to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and pray in his mosque. The airport became operational about two months ago.
There are 76 counters in the airport to process the passports of the visitors in addition to 16 others installed in the resting hall for pilgrims. The airport has 16 gates directly taking visitors to the aircraft.
It has a runway that is 4,335 meters long and 60 meters wide to receive aircraft of different sizes.
The arriving lounge has 36 lifts, 28 electric staircases and 23 luggage conveyor belts.
There are six lounges with a total area of 10,500 sq. meters for visitors to rest and a car park accommodating more than 200 vehicles at a time.
Meanwhile, director of Madinah Traffic Police Maj. Gen. Mohammed Bin Ajlan Al-Shanbari said about 13,000 traffic policemen were deployed to organize traffic in the holy city during Ramadan.
He said there would be 293 policemen on motorbikes, 620 patrol cars and 70 unmarked traffic police cars. On the other hand, there will be 900 female guides in the Two Holy Mosques in Makkah and Madinah to organize crowds and ensure smooth movements of women pilgrims and visitors.
The women guides are available in the two mosques around the clock to provide guidance to pilgrims, organize their presence, show them the correct ways of performing the rituals and guide them to where they want to go.
The guides will also prevent squatting in the halls and alleys of the mosques and provide emergency health services as well as iftar (breaking of the fast) meals to fasting women.