JEDDAH: Jeddah’s new King Abdul Aziz International Airport (KAIA) inaugurated, on Monday, the free internal automated people mover (APM) for international arriving and departing passengers. The service transports passengers from the check-in area to the boarding area at Terminal 1, and vice versa. The 1000-meter APM represents the first service of its kind at the Kingdom’s airports, with a capacity of 4,000 passengers per hour, and includes two stations and two tracks with 10 cars. Each vehicle can accommodate up to 65 passengers, who can travel between the two terminal stations in 85 seconds. The passenger’s waiting period is 170 seconds maximum. “This type of automated train is only available in limited advanced international airports,” said KAIA’s General Manager Essam bin Fouad Nour. The APM has been equipped with all systems provided in the terminals, such as air conditioning, radio and information systems. All APM’s cars are also equipped with various fire alarm systems and emergency exits to ensure the safety of passengers. The first phase of the new airport has a capacity of 30 million passengers per year and will increase to 80 million passengers by the end of the third stage. The airport’s Terminal 1 has a total area of 810,000 square meters, 220 counters to serve passengers, 80 self-service counters, 46 gates —25 gates for international flights, 13 for domestic flights, and 8 dual-use gates — as well as 94 air bridges.