Drive against unlicensed airport taxis in full swing

MADINAH: Architect Mohammad Al-Fadel, director of Prince Mohammad Bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Al-Madinah, stressed that 90 percent of the kaddadeen (picking up passengers) phenomenon has been eliminated.

He added that this is due to the intervention of the security forces from the Madinah police, raising the fines for violators, in addition to taking their cars into detention for two weeks as well as incurring them a SR1,000 fine.
The violators have been caught at the security checkpoints erected to monitor drivers who drive passengers from the airport. However, he stated that some of these drivers work at the airport.
Al-Fadel said that the procedures are ongoing in order to stop this phenomenon, and it still exists due to the licensed companies who carry passengers, and taxis and buses which transport guests.
He mentioned that the average pilgrimage flights during these days are about 90, and differ from one day to the other. It can reach up to 106 flights, whereas the number of planes that arrive at the airport is more than 200 daily. He clarified that pilgrimage trips this year reached up to 2,576 trips, and the number of employees was about 6,000 people working day and night to provide services for the guests of God.
He also mentioned the 30 percent expansion of the Haj lounge, making it available for four international flights at the same time, and the construction for bus parking which can hold more than 50 buses. There is also private parking which can hold more than 100 buses.
The halls have been cooled off by spray in between the Haj lounge and the reception hall, also the luggage procedures. Passport counters have been increased to 90 counters in order to help speed up the pilgrims’ passport processing.