The test run of the new Prince Muhammad Bin Abdul Aziz International Airport in Madinah, which was set for yesterday (April 5), has been put off by a week to take place next Sunday due to the recent sandstorm, a report said.

The experimental operation of the airport would be for a limited period of time until its official opening, the General Authority of Civil Aviation (Gaca) was quoted as saying in the Saudi Gazette report.

"We want the test run to be a complete success," Gaca said in a statement.

"The test run is aimed at assessing the readiness of all the systems, tools and organs as a prelude for the commercial operation of the airport. The airport will have an annual capacity of eight million passengers in the first phase of its development.”

A number of government and private sector firms have already set up their offices at the airport as part of preparations for its official launching, the report said.

The airport, which has 64 travel desks, occupies an area of four million sq m, and has been built at a cost of about $1.4 billion, the report added.

Its arrival and departure lounges are built on an area of 153,000 sq m. It has 16 gates connected to 32 flyovers for moving passengers to and from aircraft.