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His Excellency Mr. Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al-Duailej, President of the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), met today with His Excellency Mr. Madiyar Menilbekov, Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Kingdom, at GACA’s headquarters in Riyadh. During the meeting, they discussed topics related to the development of relations between the two countries in the field of air transport services, as well as ways to enhance areas of mutual cooperation in the civil aviation sector.

The General Authority of Civil Aviation, represented by the Beneficiary Care Center in the Quality and Customer Experience sector, has won two gold awards: Best Contact Center and Best Customer Service in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. This recognition was received during its participation in the annual Contact Center World conference, held from May 27-29, 2025, in Berlin, Germany. The award highlights GACA's commitment to streamlining complaint processes, upholding transparency, and resolving complaints in line with the Passenger Rights Protection Regulations. It also reflects the Authority’s efforts to raise awareness of passengers' rights, offer accessible and diverse communication channels, and ensure that passengers can claim their entitled compensations as per the regulations. Eng. Alhobayb affirmed GACA’s relentless efforts to deliver an optimum standard of service to passengers and beneficiaries, in line with the goals of the National Aviation Strategy. He also drew attention to the launch of GACA’s “Know Your Rights” campaign to educate passengers about exercising their rights, utilizing regulations, and communicating with airlines when facing challenges. This represents another step toward effective implementation of the regulations. The Authority has created an official website, dedicated social media accounts, and airport display screens to provide passengers with direct access to all relevant information. In the first quarter of 2025, GACA’s Beneficiaries Care Center handled 82,403 interactions, including 38,205 phone calls, 8,350 emails, 2,960 live chats via the X platform, 19,589 website visits, 12,730 live and automated WhatsApp chats, and 569 sign language conversations, according to statistics from the Center. Eng. Alhobayb emphasized that the Center operates at the highest possible standard of quality, with an average response time of 18 seconds, an average call duration of three minutes 24 seconds, and a call drop rate of only 3% of total interactions - an achievement underscoring the professionalism of the Center’s 100% Saudi team. Eng. Alhobayb also noted that the Center provides all services to the deaf community in sign language through video calls with customer service representatives, via a dedicated channel that ensures the privacy of beneficiaries while answering their needs, with feedback collected after each interaction through customer satisfaction surveys. Through these various communication channels, GACA aims to enhance engagement with passengers, boost customer satisfaction, and deliver a premium service around the clock. The Beneficiaries Care Center actively supports GACA’s regulatory role by employing advanced technologies to monitor all operational processes and incoming interactions, analyze beneficiary feedback, and track performance standards across all channels.    

Today, the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) released its monthly classification report on air transport service providers and airports, based on the number of passenger complaints submitted to the authority during April 2025. GACA reported that passengers filed 1,267 complaints against air carriers. According to the report, flynas had the fewest complaints at 22 per 100,000 passengers, with a 100% on-time resolution rate for April. Saudia ranked second with 23 complaints per 100,000 passengers and a 99% resolution rate, followed by flyadeal in third place with 38 complaints per 100,000 passengers and a 100% resolution rate. Ticketing issues were the most reported category, followed by baggage services and flights. For airports, Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah had the fewest complaints among international airports with more than 6 million passengers annually, at 0.2% per 100,000 passengers (two complaints), with a 100% resolution rate. Among international airports with fewer than 6 million passengers annually, Abha International Airport had the fewest complaints at 1% per 100,000 passengers (three complaints), also with a 100% resolution rate. For domestic airports, King Saud Airport received the fewest complaints at 3% per 100,000 passengers (one complaint), also resolving 100% on time. GACA explained that issuing this monthly classification report aims to provide travelers with insights into the performance of air transport service providers and airports in handling passenger complaints. This helps travelers choose the right service provider while promoting transparency and demonstrating GACA’s commitment to passengers’ concerns. It also fosters fair competition among service providers to improve and develop services. In support of its airport partners, GACA prepared a booklet outlining guidelines for handling passenger complaints at airports, distributed to airport operators. The booklet defines complaint management procedures and Service Level Agreements (SLAs) that must be followed for all types of complaints and inquiries. GACA also trained airline and ground service staff with direct passenger interaction on the Executive Regulations for Passenger Rights through dedicated workshops. GACA has provided multiple 24/7 communication channels to ensure continuous engagement with passengers and airport visitors, including the unified call center (1929), WhatsApp service at 0115253333, social media accounts, email, and the GACA website. Passengers can submit complaints related to boarding passes, staff conduct, services for people with disabilities and reduced mobility, and more.

The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) today released its monthly April 2025 report on the punctuality of airports and national carriers. The report measures flight timeliness based on flights departing or arriving within 15 minutes of their scheduled time.  The report provides travelers with clear insight into the scheduling adherence of both airlines and airports, in line with the ongoing effort to enhance service quality and improve passenger experience. The April report places Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport, Dammam’s King Fahd International Airport, Abha International Airport, NEOM Bay Airport, Turaif Airport, and Wadi Al Dawasir Airport among the top performers. The report divides the Kingdom’s airports into five categories. In the first, for international airports with over 15 million annual passengers, Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport achieves first place with a 90% compliance rate. In the second, for international airports with five to 15 million annual passengers, Dammam’s King Fahd International Airport ranks first with a compliance rate of 87%.  In the third, for international airports with two to five million passengers annually, Abha International Airport attains a 91% compliance rate.  In the fourth, for international airports with fewer than two million passengers, NEOM Bay Airport gains a 95% compliance rate. In the fifth category, for domestic airports, Turaif Airport and Wadi Al Dawasir Airport jointly secures the top spot with a compliance rate of 100%. In terms of national airlines, the April report ranks Saudia first with a 89% on-time arrival rate and 89% for departures; flynas achieves a 86% on-time arrival rate and 91% for departures; while flyadeal secures a 87% arrival rate and 91% departure rate. The report also highlights top-performing domestic and international routes, with Riyadh–Abha flight recording a 96% on-time rate among domestic routes, and the Riyadh–Amman flight topping international routes with a 97% punctuality rate. These efforts contribute to the National Aviation Strategy in its aim to position the Kingdom as a leading regional aviation hub via improved operational standards, higher efficiency, and enhanced quality of service to travelers.

The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) today released its April 2025 monthly report on the performance of Saudi Arabia’s international and domestic airports. The report evaluates performance based on 11 key criteria, in line with strategic objectives aimed at enhancing service quality, improving passenger experience, and elevating service standards at the Kingdom’s airports. The report highlights the top-performing airports, ranking Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Dammam’s King Fahd International Airport, Abha International Airport, Arar International Airport, and Qurayyat Airport. The report categorizes airports into five groups, with King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh securing first place among international airports handling more than 15 million passengers annually, achieving an 82% compliance rate. Jeddah’s King Abdulaziz International Airport ranked second with a compliance rate of 73%. In the second category, for international airports handling between 5 to 15 million passengers annually, Dammam’s King Fahd International Airport secures first place with a 91% compliance rate, while Madinah’s Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport also achieves 91% - with the former outperforming the latter in terms of meeting performance standards. In the third category, for international airports handling 2 to 5 million passengers annually, Abha International Airport is in first place with a 100% compliance rate—successfully reducing average wait times for both departing and arriving flights. In the fourth category, for international airports with fewer than 2 million passengers annually, Arar International Airport ranks first with a 100% compliance rate—ahead of competing airports in average wait times for arrivals and departures. In the fifth category, for domestic airports, Qurayyat Airport attains first with a100% compliance rate—outperforming all competing airports in average wait times for arriving and departing flights. GACA 11 key performance indicators include waiting time for check-in, baggage claim and passport/customs control, along with accessibility standards for the disabled and other criteria aligned with global best practices.

The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), led by Mr. Ali bin Mohammed Rajab, Executive Vice President for Air Transport and International Cooperation, held bilateral discussions today with Mr. Hussain bin Ahmed Al-Shuaile, Acting Director of the Aviation Affairs Directorate at the Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications of the Kingdom of Bahrain. The meeting focused on reviewing issues of mutual interest and exploring ways to enhance cooperation between the two countries in the field of air transport.