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September 02, 2024, President of the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al-Duailej, is leading a delegation to the Egypt International Airshow 2024, which is scheduled to take place from September 3 to 5. The event will feature a range of activities and significant gatherings related to the aviation industry, providing GACA with an opportunity to spotlight the accomplishments of Saudi Arabia's aviation sector. GACA aims to highlight the objectives of the national aviation sector strategy and the regulatory frameworks designed to promote growth and innovation within the Kingdom. Furthermore, GACA's participation will focus on strengthening bilateral relationships, fostering commercial partnerships, exploring investment opportunities in Saudi Arabia, and identifying areas of collaboration to develop a more prosperous aviation sector. The three-day event will kick off at El Alamein International Airport in northern Egypt, drawing participants from over 100 countries, around 300 exhibitors, and a distinguished group of leaders in the aviation and aerospace industries from around the globe. The exhibition will showcase state-of-the-art technologies, equipment, and the latest aircraft designed for various civil and commercial purposes. In recent years, the civil aviation sector in Saudi Arabia has undergone significant transformation and achieved record milestones in line with the national aviation sector strategy. Between January and June of this year, the Saudi civil aviation sector experienced a 17% increase in passenger numbers, totaling 62 million passengers. Additionally, the number of flights rose by 12% to reach 446,000 flights, surpassing pre-pandemic levels. Meanwhile, GACA has been actively working to upgrade relevant regulations and frameworks to foster growth and innovation within the Kingdom's aviation sector.

August 29, 2024 Red Sea Global (RSG), the developer behind the regenerative tourism destinations The Red Sea and AMAALA, has secured its second operating license for a water aerodrome, this time for Shebara resort at The Red Sea. This license is one of the final steppingstones toward opening Shebara to the world. Soon, guests will be arriving by seaplane to this iconic resort in anticipation of enjoying a truly peerless escape,” said Red Sea Global Group chief executive John Pagano. As owners of the Kingdom’s first seaplane airline and its only two water aerodromes up until now, we are firmly establishing ourselves as leaders within tourism and aviation. The aerodrome is located on Sheybarah Island, home to the iconic Shebara resort, which opens to guests next month. Known for its distinctive stainless-steel orbs, Shebara will be the first resort at The Red Sea to be owned and operated by Red Sea Global. The island features a spectacular 30 to 40 meter reef drop-off close to the beach, and guests arrive either by a 30-minute boat ride from the mainland or 20 minutes by seaplane. General Authority for Civil Aviation (GACA) President Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al-Duailej handed the license for the water aerodrome to Pagano at The Red Sea destination. He stated that the license award forms part of GACA’s aviation transformation program to boost competition and investment in support of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 agenda. The Saudi Aviation Strategy is driving unprecedented growth in Saudi aviation, supporting projects such as RSG’s with greater aviation infrastructure and connectivity. As the Kingdom’s aviation regulator, GACA is ensuring the highest levels of safety and quality across the sector, enabling Saudi Arabia to lead globally through aviation. Minister of Transport and Logistics Services Saleh AI-Jasser was also in attendance. Last year, RSG secured the first operating license for a water aerodrome in Saudi Arabia, at Ummahat Island. It has been servicing passengers to and from The St. Regis Red Sea Resort and Nujuma, a Ritz Carlton Reserve, since they opened on the island earlier this year. More than 520 flights carrying over 1,200 passengers were completed in the first half of the year on a fleet of Cessnas, and RSG expects to transport 3,800 passengers before the end of 2024. In 2023 RSG also announced the launch of its subsidiary business Fly Red Sea, the Kingdom’s first seaplane company and water aerodrome operator. It was established to enable the transport of guests across the crystal-clear waters to the Red Sea’s islands' resorts. In the future, it will add connections to neighboring destinations and developments such as AMAALA and Al Wajh Airport. The Red Sea welcomed its first guests last year, with three of its hotels now open. Shebara and Desert Rock will welcome first guests later this year, while Shura Island is on track to welcome guests in 2025. Red Sea International Airport has been receiving a regular schedule of domestic flights since September 2023, and international flights began in April 2024, with a twice-weekly route between The Red Sea and Dubai International. Upon full completion in 2030, the destination will comprise 50 resorts, offering up to 8,000 hotel rooms and more than 1,000 residential properties across 22 islands and six inland sites. The destination will also include luxury marinas, golf courses, entertainment, food & beverage, and leisure facilities.

August 29, 2024 Minister of Transport and Logistic and Chairman of the Board of Directors of General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) Eng. Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser signed today MoU in the fields of seaplanes and airstrips between the governments of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Republic of Maldives. The MoU was signed by the Maldives Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation Mohamed Ameen, in the presence of GACA President Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al-Duailej, on the sidelines of a visit by a delegation from the Maldives to the Red Sea Destination. The MoU aims to enhance cooperation in the field of seaplanes and airstrips to provide a safe air transport environment in accordance with international best practices. It also aims to implement regulations aimed at ensuring the safety and security of seaplane operations and their development. The Red Sea Destination is being developed responsibly for people and nature by Red Sea Global (RSG), which is dedicated to creating world-class sustainable tourism destinations in Saudi Arabia. RSG owns the first seaplane company in the kingdom, Fly Red Sea, headquartered at the Red Sea International Airport, which connects visitors to the stunning resorts located on the various islands of the destination through a variety of options, including seaplanes. The Red Sea International Airport has become a major gateway for luxury tourism, contributing to enhancing Saudi Arabia's global leadership in innovation and sustainable development. The airport operates entirely on renewable energy and has runway for seaplanes and a private passenger lounge.

August 22, 2024 The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) released its July report on the performance of Saudi Arabia's domestic and international airports. The report evaluates airports based on 11 operational performance standards that align with strategic objectives to enhance services and ensure a seamless traveler experience. The report highly ranked King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah, Abha International Airport, Qaisumah International Airport, and Qurayyat Airport. GACA categorizes airports into five categories for performance evaluation based on annual passenger numbers to ensure transparency. King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah secured the top spot in the category of airports with more than 15 million passengers annually, with an 82% compliance rate. Following closely behind was King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh at 82%, with King Abdulaziz International Airport outperformed King Khalid International Airport in terms of achieving the standards. In the category of international airports serving 5 to 15 million passengers annually, Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah ranked first with a 91% compliance rate. Similarly, King Fahd International Airport in Dammam also achieved a 91% compliance rate. However, Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport outperformed King Fahd International Airport in terms of meeting the standards. In the annual passenger category of 2 to 5 million, Abha International Airport ranked first with a 100% compliance rate, while King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Airport in Jizan came in second, also with a 100% compliance rate. Abha International Airport outperformed King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Airport in Jizan in terms of meeting the standards. In the category of airports with less than 2 million passengers annually, Qaisumah International Airport ranked first with a 100% compliance rate, surpassing its competitors in average waiting time for departing and arriving flights. Qurayyat Airport secured the top spot in the fifth category of domestic airports with a 100% compliance rate, outperforming all other airports in terms of average waiting times for departing and arriving flights. GACA assesses airport performance using 11 key performance indicators. These include passenger waiting times at check-in counters, time spent at baggage carousels, passport control, customs areas, standards for people with disabilities, and other standards based on international best practices.

August 20, 2024 The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) has issued the classification index for air transport service providers and airports to inform passengers about their performance and help them make informed choices. The assessment is based on the number of complaints filed with GACA by travellers. According to GACA, 1422 complaints were filed by travellers on Saudi air carriers in July. Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) had the fewest complaints among the airlines, 25 per 100,000 travellers, and a complaint resolution rate of 100%. Flynas came in second, with 27 complaints per 100,000 travellers and a resolution rate of 100%. Flyadeal came in third with 34 complaints per 100,000 travellers and a resolution rate of 99%. The most common complaints in July were about luggage, flights, and tickets. According to the report, King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh had a remarkably low complaint rate of 0.4% per 100,000 passengers and a 100% complaint resolution rate, despite serving over 6 million annual passengers. With less than 6 million annual passengers, Hail International Airport had a complaint rate of 1% per 100,000 passengers and a 100% complaint resolution rate. Bisha Airport had the lowest complaints among domestic airports, with a complaint rate of 3% per 100,000 passengers and a 100% complaint resolution rate. These low complaint rates testify to the high quality of service these airports provide. GACA reiterated that the monthly classification report aims to help passengers make informed choices, promote transparency, demonstrate its credibility and keenness to deal with travellers' complaints, stimulate fair competition, and develop and improve services. According to the authority, multiple communication channels are kept open around the clock to enable interaction with travellers and airport visitors. They are: Call Center number 1929, WhatsApp service at 0115253333, email: gaca-info@gaca.gov.sa, social media accounts, and GACA's website. Through these channels, the authority receives complaints concerning boarding passes, employee behavior, and services for persons with disabilities and limited mobility. In support of its partnering airports, GACA prepared a booklet containing guidelines on handling traveller complaints. The booklet, which was circulated among airport operators, sets out service agreements and the rules for all types of complaints and inquiries. The authority also trains, through regularly held workshops, employees of national airlines and ground service companies that deal directly with travellers on how to comply with passenger protection regulations.

This news article is available only in the Arabic version.