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The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) issued an index for the classification of air transport service providers and airports based on the number of complaints filed by travelers to the authority in June. GACA stated that the total number of complaints submitted by passengers against air carriers in June amounted to 900. Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) was the least carrier complained about, with 12 complaints per 100,000 passengers. The state-run airline recorded a timely complaint handling rate of 99%. Flynas ranked second, with 14 complaints and a closure rate of 100%. Meanwhile, Flyadeal came third, with 18 complaints per 100,000 passengers, reporting a timely complaint closure rate of 96%. The most frequent complaints for June were about luggage, boarding and ticketing services. For the same month, King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah reported the lowest complaints, at a rate of 0.4% per 100,000 passengers, among international airports that receive over six million passengers annually. Only 16 complaints were submitted by travelers, with a timely complaint handling rate of 77%. Abha International Airport was the least airport complained about, at a rate of 1% per 100,000 passengers, among international airports that receive less than six million passengers annually. Only eight complaints were submitted, with a timely complaint handling rate of 100%. For domestic reports, Bisha Airport recorded the lowest complaints per 100,000 passengers with one complaint, or 3%, recording a timely complaint processing rate of 100%.

His Excellency Mr. Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al-Duailej, President of the General Authority of Civil Aviation, met with Mr. Brian Moran, President of Boeing Sustainability, at the Authority’s headquarters in Riyadh. During the meeting, potential areas of cooperation between the two parties were reviewed, in addition to learning about Boeing’s latest sustainability initiatives and the progress of the company’s key projects in the Kingdom.

GACA Grants Air Traffic Control School License to Technical Studies Institute of the Royal Saudi Air Force The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) has granted an Air Traffic Control School license to the Technical Studies Institute of the Royal Saudi Air Force, following the institute’s full compliance with the requirements of the GACAR Part 144 executive regulation. This marks the second license of its kind, with the first previously awarded to King Faisal Air Academy. The license was formally presented by Captain Suleiman bin Saleh Al-Muhaimidi, Executive Vice President for Aviation Safety and Environmental Sustainability at GACA, during a meeting today at the Authority’s headquarters in Riyadh with Major General Pilot Nasser bin Fahd Al-Zuaibi, Commander of the Technical Studies Institute. This initiative reflects the ongoing civil-military coordination and cooperation in the field of aviation—an essential pillar in meeting the needs of both civil and military air traffic, enhancing safety and efficiency, and harmonizing the operational environment across both sectors. It is worth noting that GACA continues to support the development of civil aviation activities by enabling training programs and regulatory frameworks that build national human capabilities. These efforts aim to ensure the sustainable growth of the aviation sector and reinforce GACA’s role as the regulator of air transport in the Kingdom, aligned with the goals of the National Aviation Strategy.

The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) held today the 13th meeting of the Steering Committee for the implementation of the National Aviation Sector Strategy. The meeting was chaired by His Excellency Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al-Duailej, President of GACA, and attended by Vice Presidents, CEOs, executives, and senior managers from national airlines and aviation sector entities. The meeting took place in the city of Abha, in the Asir region. In his opening remarks, Al-Duailej stated that the Kingdom’s civil aviation sector has continued its strong operational performance. Following record-breaking numbers in 2023, the sector maintained its upward trajectory during the first half of 2024. Passenger numbers rose by 17%, reaching 62 million, while flights increased by 12% to 446,000. Air cargo volume also saw a significant 41% surge, reaching 606,000 tons by the end of June. He added that Abha International Airport recorded a 12% growth in passenger traffic and a 3% increase in flights during the first half of 2024 compared to the same period in the previous year, with a total of 15,442 flights. This growth reinforces Asir’s positioning as a global destination aligned with the Kingdom’s national strategies, including the Asir Strategy “Qimam wa Shem,” and the National Aviation Strategy, which aims to increase destinations to 250 and passengers to 330 million annually. It also supports the goals of the National Tourism Strategy. He highlighted the airport’s master plan, launched by His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, which aims to boost the airport’s capacity from 1.5 million to 13 million passengers annually. Over 100 companies have expressed interest in participating in this ambitious project, to be delivered through a public-private partnership model. During the meeting, Al-Duailej also reviewed GACA’s efforts during the 1445H Hajj season. He noted that the aviation sector played a key role in delivering a safe and seamless experience for pilgrims arriving by air, who made up 97% of all Hajj pilgrims. The season also witnessed the first air taxi trial in the Kingdom, supervised by GACA in Makkah, as well as the issuance of the world’s first license for this type of aircraft. In addition, GACA granted the first operating permit for using drones to clean building façades—further demonstrating its commitment to enabling safe and innovative advanced air mobility solutions. The meeting also reviewed the latest updates on implementing the National Aviation Strategy, follow-ups on the recommendations from the 12th steering committee meeting, and the progress made by national carriers and aviation companies in aligning their corporate strategies with sector-wide goals and priorities. On the sidelines of the meeting, His Excellency Al-Duailej presented an economic license to the CEO of the Saudi Ground Services Company. The license was granted to one of SGS’s subsidiaries—Ground Services Travel & Tourism—for operating as a commercial agent for aviation services. The National Aviation Strategy aims to significantly increase capacity to accommodate more than 330 million passengers annually and connect to over 250 destinations worldwide by 2030. It also targets raising cargo capacity to 4.5 million tons by the same year.

July 11, 2024 The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) released air-traffic statistics showing significant growth in the number of passengers and flights during the first half of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023. According to the statistics, there was a 17% increase in the number of passengers over the past six months, reaching approximately 62 million passengers, compared to 53 million passengers during the same period last year. The number of flights also reached approximately 446,000, marking a 12% increase compared to the same period last year, which saw 399,000 flights. Additionally, the airfreight volume in the first six months of 2024 witnessed a 41% increase, reaching 606,000 tons compared to the 430,000 tons in the same period of 2023. During the first half of this year, GACA launched several development projects, including the development and expansion of Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport, the inauguration of the development and expansion of Al-Ahsa International Airport, the launch of the new additional international departure terminal at Taif International Airport, and the introduction of the self-driving air taxi experience for the first time during the Hajj season. Furthermore, the authority granted the first operating permit for building cleaning using drones, which illustrates its commitment to enabling safe and innovative advanced air mobility solutions. It also launched a knowledge-testing center for aviation personnel and the first phase of electronic gates at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. In terms of service quality provided to passengers, GACA won two gold awards for Best Customer Service and Best Public Service Center in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) region, the Consumer Protection Association award for excellence in protecting passengers' rights, and the certificate in the quality management system for monitoring flight safety and environmental sustainability. The aviation sector saw several achievements in the past six months, including 16 Saudi airports obtaining the Airports Council International (ACI) Airport Service Quality (ASQ) accreditation for 2024. Additionally, Saudi airports continued their progress in ranking among the top 50 airports worldwide, as announced in the evaluation results of the international air transport rating organization Skytrax. Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah won the first-place award as the best regional airport in the Middle East during the Skytrax World Airport Awards ceremony held in Frankfurt, Germany, and King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah achieved the highest ratings on the Airports Council International list for 2023. Moreover, King Fahd International Airport in Dammam won three of the Saudi Airports Awards for 2023, including the award for the best airport in the category 5-15 million passengers, the award for the best customs inspection area, and the award for the best services for people with disabilities. SAUDIA also received recognition, winning awards for being the most advanced airline in the world and having the best economy-class catering for 2024 in the Skytrax global ranking. According to Skytrax, Flynas was crowned the fourth-best low-cost airline in the world for the second consecutive year and the first in the Middle East for the seventh consecutive year, the most important global benchmark for measuring airline performance. All these achievements are part of the initiatives and programs launched by GACA, aiming to contribute to the development of the air transport industry locally, regionally, and internationally, in line with the National Strategy for the Civil Aviation Sector. The strategy aims to make the aviation sector in the Kingdom the first in the Middle East by reaching 330 million passengers, increasing air freight capacity to 4.5 million tons, and raising air connectivity to reach 250 destinations to and from Saudi airports by 2030.

The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) concluded its participation in the 69th Executive Council Session of the Arab Civil Aviation Organization (ACAO), as well as the 28th General Assembly Meeting, held from July 1 to 4 in Rabat, the capital of the Kingdom of Morocco. The Kingdom’s delegation was headed by His Excellency the Minister of Transport and Logistics Services and Chairman of GACA, Eng. Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser. His Excellency Mr. Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al-Duailej, President of GACA, was unanimously elected as President of the ACAO Executive Council for the upcoming two-year term, following the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s unanimous win during the General Assembly meeting. The election reflects the Kingdom’s prominent status in international and regional organizations and its significant role in advancing the civil aviation industry at both regional and global levels, in addition to its active engagement with international aviation bodies. During the ACAO Executive Council elections, the Kingdom also secured membership in six specialized technical committees: Air Transport, Air Navigation, Aviation Safety, Aviation Security, Environment, and Media and Institutional Communication. In addition, the Kingdom was elected to the Financial and Administrative Oversight Committee. His Excellency the Minister of Transport and Logistics Services held a series of bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the event with His Excellency Mr. Mohamed Salem Al-Shahoubi, Minister of Transportation of Libya’s Government of National Unity, and His Excellency Mr. Mohammed Abdeljalil, Minister of Transport and Logistics of the Kingdom of Morocco. He also met, in the presence of the GACA President, with Ms. Patricia Reverdy, Executive Secretary of the European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC), to discuss various issues related to the civil aviation sector and opportunities for mutual cooperation aimed at advancing air transport. GACA’s President also held separate bilateral meetings with several officials, including Mr. Salvatore Sciacchitano, President of the ICAO Council; Mr. Damien Cazé, Director General of Civil Aviation of France; Mr. Hussein Nayel Ahmed Al-Mahi, Director General of Sudan’s Civil Aviation Authority; Mr. Mahmoud Khaled, President of the Palestinian Civil Aviation Authority; and Mr. Mohammed Jawdat Amer, Acting President of Iraq’s Civil Aviation Authority. These meetings addressed key civil aviation topics and explored ways to strengthen cooperation in the air transport sector. On a related note, GACA’s President signed a draft framework for joint cooperation in air transport services with his counterpart from the Sultanate of Oman. The Kingdom remains committed to supporting ACAO’s efforts through active participation, coordination, and contributions to its organizational structures, executive council, and technical committees. Saudi Arabia also hosts the headquarters of the Regional Safety Oversight Organization for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA RSOO), and the Cooperative Aviation Security Programme for the Middle East (CASP-MID). Furthermore, the Kingdom continues to support ICAO through the “No Country Left Behind” initiative with a financial contribution of one million US dollars.