According to Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), ten out of the 11 airports in the country that received passenger complaints in February successfully resolved them in a timely manner. GACA, in its monthly assessment of air transport service providers, focused on the performance of airlines and related transport hubs based on traveler complaints filed during the second month of 2024.
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مؤشر تصنيف مقدمي خدمات النقل الجوي والمطارات وفقاً لعدد الشكاوى المرفوعة من المسافرين خلال شهر فبراير 2024م.#الطيران_المدني pic.twitter.com/2EetJmXNIx
— هيئة الطيران المدني (@ksagaca) March 20, 2024
King Khalid International Airport, with an annual passenger volume of over 6 million, stood out as the leading international terminal with only 20 complaints, equivalent to 1 percent per 100,000 travelers. The airport achieved a 100 percent resolution rate for these complaints. Similarly, Prince Mohammed International Airport and King Fahad International Airport each had eight and seven complaints, respectively, representing 1 percent per 100,000 travelers. Both airports successfully resolved all of the issues raised.
However, King Abdulaziz International Airport had the highest number of grievances in this category, recording 32 complaints last month. Nevertheless, 97 percent of these complaints were resolved on time.
Among international terminals with less than 6 million passengers annually, Prince Sultan International Airport performed exceptionally well, receiving only two complaints, which amounted to 1 percent per 100,000 air service users. The resolution rate for these complaints matched that of King Khalid International Airport.
In the same period, Taif International Airport had only one grievance, Abha International Airport registered five issues, King Abdullah International Airport logged four incidents, and Al Jouf Airport received only two concerns. All of these airports successfully resolved the complaints within the given timeframe.
Domestic aerodromes
In terms of domestic aerodromes, Gurayat Domestic Airport had the fewest incidents, with only one recorded complaint, accounting for 5 percent per 100,000 passengers. The resolution rate for this airport was 100 percent. Rafha Domestic Airport documented two grievances, equating to 26 percent per 100,000 flyers, but managed to resolve all of them on time.
The predominant issues reported by passengers in February were related to boarding procedures, employee conduct, and services for individuals with disabilities or limited mobility. In total, GACA received 1,011 cases concerning Saudi air carriers during that month.
Among the airlines, flynas had the lowest number of incidents, with a rate of 10 complaints per 100,000 travelers, and a 100 percent resolution rate. SAUDIA closely followed with 11 complaints per 100,000 flyers, and 84 percent of those were addressed. Flyadeal secured the third spot, with 13 cases per 100,000 passengers, and 96 percent of them were settled on time.
Comprehensive booklet, regular workshops
To support its airport partners, GACA has developed a comprehensive booklet that outlines guidelines for handling complaints. This document, distributed among airfield operators, defines service agreements and the necessary protocols for addressing various complaints and inquiries.
Furthermore, GACA conducts regular workshops to train employees of national carriers and ground service companies, ensuring their compliance with passenger protection regulations. This commitment ensures a high standard of service delivery and passenger satisfaction across the aviation sector.
Saudi Arabia’s investments in the aviation industry
Saudi Arabia has made significant investments in its aviation industry, focusing on infrastructure development, enhanced connectivity, and the establishment of Riyadh Air. As a result, Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport experienced a recovery of over 75 percent in 2022, as reported by the Airport Connectivity Report released by the Airports Council International in September 2023.
Saudi air connectivity has also improved, with the country rising to the 13th position in 2023 from the 27th position in 2019. The Kingdom now has aviation routes established with more than 131 destinations worldwide, according to the International Air Transport Association’s index in 2023.
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