Tag Archives: Saudia

SAUDIA signs an agreement with Tibah Airports to support operational expansion

SAUDIA signed an agreement with Tibah Airports to expand operational activities to and from Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Medina. The agreement comes within Saudia’s efforts to enhance its operational capabilities, increase operational movement, and connect Medina with many capitals and cities worldwide, contributing to doubling the visitor rate, especially with the developmental and enriching projects taking place in Medina. This step aligns with Saudia’s ongoing transformation and expansion plan with many aircraft scheduled for delivery in the coming years. Furthermore, it underscores Saudia’s commitment to delivering best class services that elevate both ground and air travel experiences, in line with the latest advancements in the aviation sector. The agreement was signed by His Excellency the Director General of Saudia Group, Engr. Ibrahim Al Omar, and the Chairman of Tibah Airports Operation Co, Dr. Ibrahim Alrajhi. His Excellency Engr. Ibrahim Al Omar said: “This agreement is an extension of Saudia’s contributions and initiatives aimed at achieving the targets of Saudi Vision 2030, especially those related to hosting 30 million pilgrims by 2030. It also contributes to achieving the objectives of the Saudi Aviation Strategy to boost air connectivity to over 250 destinations. This agreement will help us expand on our services by providing greater air connectivity between Madinah and many destinations within and beyond Saudi Arabia.” Dr. Ibrahim Alrajhi stated, “We are delighted to welcome Saudia’s decision to expand its operation in Medina Airport. This strategic move will not only strengthen the airport’s position as a gateway to the holy city of Medina but also enhance the overall travel experience for pilgrims from around the world. The expansion of Saudia’s operations at Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport will …

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SAUDIA unveils cutting edge AI powered innovations in “LEAP”

SAUDIA announced its participation in the third edition of the world-renowned technical conference “LEAP”, taking place from March 4th to 7th, 2024, at the Riyadh Exhibition and Convention Center. At this prestigious event, SAUDIA will unveil its latest digital initiatives, marking a new era in service excellence driven by cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) technologies and integrated connectivity solutions tailored to enhance the travel experience for all guests. Preparations have been finalized to welcome visitors at SAUDIA stand No. A02, offering an interactive experience where attendees can explore a range of digital projects aligned with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030. Key highlights include the debut of “Travel Companion”, an AI-powered virtual assistant designed to streamline booking processes, flight planning, and destination exploration, revolutionizing the travel experience. SAUDIA takes pride in being the first airline in the MENA region to pioneer this technology, offering attendees an exclusive opportunity to experience its beta version firsthand. Additionally, SAUDIA will showcase “GovClick”, an e-wallet service facilitating seamless government ticket issuance and after-sales services through a unified digital platform, with plans to expand to benefit corporations and individuals as well. The revamped digital experience of the “AlFursan” loyalty program underscores SAUDIA’s commitment to simplifying procedures, allowing guests to effortlessly manage rewards, track mileage activity, and upgrade membership levels with a single click. Moreover, SAUDIA will present its “Guest Care”, delivering swift and efficient solutions tailored to diverse operational scenarios, ensuring guests are promptly updated on flight details and disruptions. Manal Alshehri, Vice President of Digital Transformation at SAUDIA Group, emphasized the significance of SAUDIA’s participation in this international conference, held in the Kingdom, a hub for leading events across various sectors. She highlighted the pivotal …

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SAUDIA announces new retrofit program for its current fleet

SAUDIA, signed a contract with Collins Aerospace, marking a significant milestone in its commitment to elevate guest experience and advance operational capabilities. This collaboration signifies a significant upgrade to Saudia’s fleet interiors and paves the way for further synergies for Saudia Group’s subsidiary, Saudia Technic. Under this agreement, Collins Aerospace, a globally recognized leader in aviation solutions, will install newly designed seats in Saudia’s upcoming Boeing 787 fleet, scheduled for delivery from early 2026 onwards. Additionally, a comprehensive seat retrofit program with an aim to enhance both functionality and aesthetics, is planned for Saudia’s current Airbus A330 and Boeing 777 fleet, starting in late 2025 and concluding by late 2027. It’s worth mentioning that the Business Class cabin across Saudia’s wide-body fleet will all consist of private suites, ensuring an elevated and comfortable travel experience for Saudia guests. A key feature of the plan involves the establishment of localized repair capabilities as well as select spares manufacturing capabilities with Saudia Technic, reinforcing Group’s commitment to the localization of content in the region. This will improve Saudia’s in-house repair capability, streamline spares support, deploy localized product support, and implement comprehensive solutions to optimize fleet performance and operational efficiency. “We are thrilled to join forces with Collins Aerospace to introduce state-of-the-art Business and Economy Class seats into our new fleet, as well as retrofit our existing fleet’s interiors,” commented Rossen Dimitrov, Chief Customer Experience Officer at Saudia. “This partnership represents a significant step forward in our commitment to delivering exceptional comfort and convenience to our guests. Additionally, the establishment of additional capabilities in Jeddah underscore our dedication to fostering local expertise and driving economic growth.” He added, “This synergy reflects the Group’s …

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SAUDIA and THE RIG partner to elevate travel and tourism industry

Saudia has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Oil Park Development Company (OPDC), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Public Investment Fund (PIF) and the entity behind the world-first adventure tourism destination, THE RIG to  delve into new transportation methods, including eVTOL, and carbon reduction initiatives, aligning with the sustainability goals of both organizations. The agreement, which was signed in Riyadh by Captain Ibrahim Koshy, CEO of Saudia, and Raed Bakhrji, CEO of Oil Park Development Company, sets the stage for Saudia and THE RIG. to jointly collaborate on initiatives designed to drive traffic to the Eastern province and elevate the overall guest experience. Captain Ibrahim Koshy said: “At Saudia, we are deeply committed to fulfilling our role as the ‘Wings of Vision 2030’ to accomplish our goals in line with the Kingdom’s tourism strategy, which is to bring around 150 million visitors to Saudi Arabia by 2030. This collaboration holds great promises for the travel and tourism industry. Along with our partners, we look forward to leveraging our combined expertise to drive innovation and sustainable growth in the sector.” Raed Bakhrji said: “THE RIG. draws inspiration from Vision 2030 and its initiatives to develop the tourism sector. It is expected to be one of the leading adventure tourism projects, offering visitors an unparalleled mix of adventure experiences. Our collaboration with Saudia is expected to enhance the quality and uniqueness of our offerings, providing visitors with a wide range of easy access options to this distinctive tourist destination.”

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Saudia to launch immersive fan experience for the 2024 Formula E season at the Diriyah E-Prix

Saudia, the official airline partner of the all-electric Formula E series, will bring car racing fans from around the globe to the Diriyah E-Prix on 26 and 27 January, in the nation’s capital of Riyadh. The race was first held as part of the 2018–19 season and was the first Formula E race to be held in the Middle East. Diriyah plays host to a pair of night races as Formula E illuminates the historic desert surroundings of the UNESCO World Heritage site on the 26th and 27th of January. Season ten of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship gets into gear with 21 twists and turns across the 2.495km Diriyah Circuit. Visitors to the race weekend will be treated to a fusion of the old and new, as the extraordinary destination acts as the backdrop against which cutting-edge all-electric racing cars will compete for victory – including the DS Penske DS E-Tense FE23 driven by former Formula E World Champion, Stoffel Vandoorne, whose position as Global Ambassador for Saudia has been continued for 2024. During the race weekend, fans will have access to an expansive E-Village, wherein Saudia will have a dedicated, newly developed Discover-E Zone. The E-Zone features a variety of interactive experiences designed to educate and excite fans in new and innovative ways including the revamped ‘Evolution in Your Hands’ virtual quiz and the enhanced ‘ReGen3rate’ game that allows fans to experience the exhilaration of racing on the Diriyah racetrack whilst controlling the battery levels in their car as they steer to pole position. For the first time ever, fans unable to attend the Diriyah E-Prix will be able to visit Saudia’s Discover-E Zone in an …

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Riyadh Season and SAUDIA announces new world class entertainment activities

Riyadh Season and Saudi Airlines to create new entertainment zone to provide a unique experience with specialized aircraft that perform commercial tasks other than transporting passengers in the air. This brings delight to travelers who enjoy the travel rituals without going too far. These planes are equipped to offer an entertaining experience and serve delicious meals. More information will be available and announced later. H.E. Advisor Turki Alalshikh, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the General Entertainment Authority (GeA) has announced the start of construction of the new BLVD Runway, as one of the Riyadh Season zones, in cooperation with Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia). The zone offers fresh adventures on five planes. The new zone allows visitors to enjoy a variety of cuisines from renowned restaurants. Additionally, the zone features thrilling activities such as a horror themed experience on an airplane. The announcement came after GEA CEO Eng. Faisal Bafarat and Saudia Group Chief Marketing Officer Khaled Tash in the presence of H.E. Eng. Ibrahim bin Abdul Rahman Al-Omar, Director General of Saudia Group, signed an MOU. This agreement is a joint effort between Riyadh Season and Saudi Airlines to create the zone.  

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SAUDIA to operate flying taxis to ferry pilgrims between Jeddah and Makkah

Saudi Arabian Airlines intends to buy around 100 aircraft to operate flying taxis between King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah and hotels in Makkah. The Saudi national carrier is making preparations to use air taxis as a new mode of transportation during the Hajj season, according to Abdullah Al-Shahrani, director of corporate communications and spokesman of the Saudia Group. He said that the Saudia Group has contracted the purchase of 100 Lilium jets, German electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, to shuttle between the Jeddah airport and airstrips in Makkah hotels near the Grand Mosque and other holy places. “The electric plane Lilium is one of the first aircraft that operates entirely on electric power. The news is according to the Saudi Gazette. “After completing the necessary arrangements, these planes will fly with the guests of God during Hajj and Umrah seasons from King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah to the airstrips in hotels near the Grand Mosque in Makkah,” he told Al-Arabiya. Al-Shahrani noted that flying taxi can transport four to six passengers. “The Lilium aircraft is characterized by a low rate of carbon emissions and is an environmentally friendly aircraft, which makes it one of the possibilities for sustaining air travel and shortening the time of flights, as it covers a maximum distance of 250 km. “Through purchasing nearly 100 aircraft, Saudi Airlines intends to launch an advanced service to connect a number of travel destinations via this advanced electric aircraft, and will support it with air routes between the main airports from where Saudia operates,” he said while pointing out that this is a special service for its guests. He said that the aircraft also features …

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Saudia Group to showcase its new identity and era at Dubai Airshow

Saudia Group announced its participation at the upcoming Dubai Airshow 2023, held at Al Maktoum International Airport Dubai from November 13th to 17th. The Group will take over the largest pavilion at the event marking its first international presence following the recent rebrand, which signifies a new era for the group. Through this participation, Saudia Group reinforces its position as a prominent global aviation leader, underpinned by its ever-expanding capabilities and an array of enhanced services and products dedicated to catering to the needs of the MENA region across the aviation industry spectrum, encompassing manufacturing and comprehensive training. Visitors and aviation enthusiasts can expect a world-class experience at the Saudia Group’s interactive pavilion, where it will showcase its industry-leading aviation services and solutions that ultimately contribute to the realization of Vision 2030. This includes demonstrating the Group’s efforts around the localization of services in the Kingdom, as well as Saudia Group’s plans to capitalize on its Jeddah Hub. The Group will also highlight its latest digital transformation services and introduce the world to an AI ChatGPT, named ‘Saudia,’ a groundbreaking innovation in customer service. The Group is set to display two aircraft that visitors will have the opportunity to explore; a Saudia Boeing 787-10 featuring the new brand livery and a flyadeal Airbus 320neo. The B787-10 aircraft will showcase Saudia’s latest amenity kits and offer food samples that reflect the essence of the rebrand. The pavilion will also feature the latest innovations by Saudia Groups’ other rebranded Strategic Business Units (SBUs) including, Saudia Technic, formerly known as Saudia Aerospace Engineering Industries (SAEI), Saudia Academy, formerly known as Prince Sultan Aviation Academy (PSAA), Saudia Private, formerly known as Saudia Private Aviation …

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SAUDIA shifts operations from Al Wajh Airport to the Red Sea International Airport

Saudia announced the transfer of its operations from Al Wajh airport (EJH) to the Red Sea International airport (RSI), effective Sunday, October 29th, 2023. This transfer aligns with the official announcement made by Red Sea Global about the development of Al Wajh airport. Saudia affirms that all tickets remain free from any restrictions or charges when cancelled, reissued, or refunded. The Red Sea Global is providing free of charge shuttle services between Al Wajh airport and the Red Sea International airport to facilitate the transfer of Saudia’s guests. Saudia is currently operating four weekly flights to and from the Red Sea International airport, from Riyadh and Jeddah.    

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