News

The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) will participate tomorrow, for three days in Riyadh, in the second edition of the Saudi Drone Exhibition SADX 2025, held under the theme “Drones and the Future of Integrated Transformation.” The event is organized by Digital Image for Exhibitions and Conferences, in strategic partnership with the International Federation of Drone Aircraft, and hosted at Riyadh Front Exhibition and Conference Center. The exhibition will witness wide participation from officials, sector leaders, experts, and investors, in addition to leading local and international companies specializing in smart mobility, drones, robotics, and artificial intelligence. The event will also feature a series of panel discussions and interactive workshops highlighting the key challenges and solutions in the sector, as well as showcasing successful practices. SADX 2025 will serve as a platform to present the latest technologies and applications in transportation, delivery, agriculture, oil and gas, environment, and surveillance, with the participation of more than 100 entities from inside and outside the Kingdom. The exhibition comes as part of GACA’s efforts to strengthen the Kingdom’s position as a global logistics hub, while advancing sustainability and developing the infrastructure of emerging technologies in air transport. This aligns with the sector’s rapid transformations both locally and internationally, and supports the objectives of the Aviation Program in line with Saudi Vision 2030. It also seeks to enhance cooperation and build strategic partnerships with relevant companies and entities to provide safe, sustainable, and more efficient air transport within a regulatory framework that follows global best practices, ensuring safe and effective operations.

The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) today issued its monthly report on the performance of the Kingdom’s international and domestic airports for July 2025. The evaluation was based on 11 key performance indicators, in line with strategic directions aimed at enhancing the quality of services provided to travelers, raising service levels, and improving the passenger experience across Saudi airports. King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah, Abha International Airport, Arar International Airport, and Qurayyat Airport ranked among the top performers in the report. Airports were divided into five categories. In the first category for international airports handling more than 15 million passengers annually, King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh secured first place with a compliance rate of 82 percent, ahead of King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, which came second with the same compliance rate of 82 percent. Riyadh outperformed Jeddah in meeting the evaluation standards. In the second category, covering international airports with 5 to 15 million passengers annually, Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah ranked first with a compliance rate of 91 percent, while King Fahd International Airport in Dammam recorded 82 percent. For the third category of international airports serving 2 to 5 million passengers annually, Abha International Airport ranked first with a perfect 100 percent compliance rate, outperforming its peers in average waiting times for both departing and arriving flights. In the fourth category, covering international airports with fewer than two million passengers annually, Arar International Airport ranked first with 100 percent compliance, also leading in average waiting times for departures and arrivals. In the fifth category of domestic airports, Qurayyat Airport achieved first place with a 100 percent compliance rate, outperforming all competing airports in average waiting times for departures and arrivals. It is noteworthy that GACA evaluates airport performance based on 11 main performance indicators. These include passenger waiting times at travel procedures, baggage claim, passport control, and customs areas, as well as standards related to passengers with disabilities, in addition to other indicators aligned with global best practices.    

Today, His Excellency Mr. Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al-Duailej, President of the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), received His Excellency Dr. Suhel Ajaz Khan, Ambassador of the Republic of India to the Kingdom, at GACA’s headquarters in Riyadh. The meeting reviewed issues of mutual interest and explored ways to enhance cooperation between the two countries in the field of air transport.

The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) announced that it has granted VistaJet, a leading company specializing in private aviation, the Foreign Operator Certificate, making it the first foreign private aviation company to receive this certification to operate domestic flights within the Kingdom.   The issuance of this certificate comes as part of GACA’s decision to allow foreign operators of private aircraft to conduct on demand flights within the Kingdom starting from May 1, 2025, after meeting all requirements and standards set out in the Civil Aviation Law’s executive regulations.   Awad bin Attallah Al Sulami, Executive Vice President for Economic Policies and Logistics Services at GACA, explained that granting the Air Operator Certificate to VistaJet as the first foreign operator of private aircraft for domestic operations in the Kingdom marks an important step towards advancing private aviation services. He noted that this move will foster greater competition, stimulate sector growth, and enhance service quality.   The issuance of the Air Operator Certificate is also one of the key pillars in achieving the objectives of the Aviation Program under the National Transport and Logistics Strategy, which aims to position the Kingdom’s aviation sector as the leading player in the Middle East by 2030 and to transform the Kingdom into a global logistics hub connecting three continents. Private aviation, he stressed, represents a vital enabler for both business and tourism within and beyond the Kingdom.   VistaJet will commence its operations in the Kingdom as a strategic step that reflects the Kingdom’s vision of attracting high value investments and strengthening its position in the global aviation industry. This milestone underscores GACA’s commitment to applying the highest safety standards while enhancing the private aviation experience and ensuring service quality. It also aligns with GACA’s ongoing efforts to provide an attractive investment environment and extend full support to enable civil aviation activities, contributing to the goals of the Aviation Program and reinforcing GACA’s role as the regulator of the air transport industry in the Kingdom. By building strong partnerships with relevant stakeholders, GACA seeks to further empower the sector, raise operational efficiency, and support the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.

The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) earned the international accreditation certificate for the Environmental Management System (ISO 14001:2015), after successfully meeting all requirements of external review and audit with no nonconformity remarks, reflecting the efficiency of its environmental ecosystem and its commitment to the highest global standards in this field. The certificate was presented during a reception at the authority headquarters in Riyadh, where GACA President Abdulaziz Al-Duailej received CEO of TUV Austria, the accreditation-granting company Muteb Al-Seif, in the presence of several officials from both sides. The achievement reaffirms GACA's commitment to applying the best environmental practices and achieving the objectives of the Saudi Civil Aviation Environmental Sustainability Program (CAESP) by enabling the sector to adopt effective environmental policies and standards that ensure operational continuity and efficiency, in line with the Kingdom’s environmental commitments under Saudi Vision 2030. GACA reiterated its firm commitment to developing its environmental ecosystem and enhancing sustainability practices through CAESP, ensuring continuous improvement of environmental performance, raising the quality of services, and boosting the sector’s competitiveness.

The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) concluded this evening in Riyadh the activities of the “AVITHON Hackathon 2025,” organized in cooperation with Elm Company and the Saudi Digital Program, with the attendance of senior officials, experts, and innovators. In a speech delivered during the closing ceremony, His Excellency Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al-Duailej, President of GACA, stated that the “AVITHON Hackathon” represents a leading national platform that reflects the Kingdom’s commitment to transforming innovation into reality, contributing to the development of the aviation sector and the achievement of Vision 2030 objectives. He said: “The Aviation Program, stemming from the National Transport and Logistics Strategy, has charted an ambitious vision for the future of this sector. It is centered on making the Kingdom a global hub for air connectivity, increasing annual passenger capacity to 330 million, and boosting air cargo capacity to 4.5 million tonnes by 2030, alongside developing infrastructure and enhancing sustainability in all aspects of operations.” He added: “To achieve these targets, we at GACA believe that innovation and modern technologies are the main drivers for improving operational efficiency, delivering exceptional user experiences, and strengthening the sector’s competitiveness on the global stage.” His Excellency praised the creative ideas and innovative solutions presented by the participants, noting that they were not merely technical projects but inspiring stories proving that determination and hard work can shape a more advanced and efficient future. He extended his appreciation to all partners, supporting entities, organizing committees, and everyone who contributed to the success of this challenge. The ceremony also featured a visual presentation chronicling the journey of the hackathon since its launch, followed by the presentation of the five most innovative ideas to the judging panel and the audience. At the conclusion of the event, His Excellency the GACA President crowned the winning teams after months of competition that brought together creative young talents from across the Kingdom. The ceremony also included honoring the organizing team and supporting partners. It is noteworthy that the “AVITHON Hackathon 2025” registered 1,720 participants representing 491 teams, who presented ideas and solutions across three main tracks: enhancing the customer experience in the aviation sector, sustainability in aviation, and aviation safety and security. A total of 241 participants, representing the top 50 teams, advanced to the semi-finals, while 60 participants, representing the top 15 teams, were awarded in the final judging stage. The event also featured more than 100 mentoring sessions for 50 teams, 300 written consultations for participants, and 80 workshops attended by 190 participants, with a total duration of 572 minutes. In addition, 357 questions were raised during the workshops, with a satisfaction rate of 98 percent. The challenge went through three successive judging stages conducted by three independent committees, under the supervision and follow-up of a higher committee from GACA to ensure the highest standards of integrity and transparency.