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Led by Eng. Mohammed Alkhuraisi, Vice President of Strategy and Business Intelligence at the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), a civil aviation sector delegation took part in today's Saudi British roundtable meeting in the UK, joining major British aviation companies. The gathering brought together CEOs, officials, and specialists from aviation, airports, and related service sectors. Discussions centered on strengthening strategic partnerships, fostering economic development, and pursuing opportunities that support Saudi Vision 2030 goals. The meeting highlighted the Saudi Arabia's aviation sector achievements and facilitated the exchange of expertise, opinions, and investment opportunities with private sector stakeholders. Eng. Alkhuraisi's speech emphasized the robust Saudi British strategic relationship and its key role in fostering economic growth and cultural exchange between the friendly nations. He referenced the recent December agreement targeting $37.5 billion in bilateral trade by 2030, demonstrating the economic significance of this partnership. The relationship's strength is evidenced by the presence of more than 1,000 British companies with Saudi investment licenses and 55 with regional headquarters permits, including BAE Systems and Rolls-Royce. He explained that Saudi Arabia and the UK maintain strong relations in civil aviation, with the UK representing the Saudi Arabia's primary European market. The total number of travelers between Saudi Arabia and Britain in 2024 more than doubled compared to 2022, reaching 1,338,000 passengers. He reported that the Saudi Arabia has successfully launched major investments in airline and airport infrastructure, including establishing Riyadh Air as a new national carrier, launching the masterplan for King Salman International Airport (KSIA) in Riyadh, and various other sector infrastructure investments. These initiatives aim to achieve Saudi Vision 2030 and National Aviation Strategy targets of doubling passenger numbers to 330 million annually, increasing the Saudi Arabia's air connectivity to more than 250 destinations worldwide, and increasing air cargo capacity to 4.5 million tons annually. GACA's VP for Strategy and Business Intelligence wrapped up his speech by urging UK investors and aviation industry representatives to collaborate on developing partnerships, promoting economic growth, and exploring new frontiers that would advance the global aviation sector. Following that, delegation members presented an overview of the civil aviation system, including airport sector strategies and key achievements, air transport and international cooperation's role in enhancing air connectivity to reach 250 destinations, enabling technology and digital transformation, along with a brief overview of the Saudi airports sector - including implementation mechanisms, investment volume, and business opportunities - while highlighting investment in the Saudi aviation sector, enabling factors, and incentives. The delegation also participated in the civil aviation supply forum, where several meetings were held with UK aviation industry representatives from the British Aviation Group (BAG), representatives from the British Air Navigation Company, the British Civil Aviation Authority, and several globally leading companies, with government representatives from the British Embassy to the Saudi Arabia in attendance. These meetings discussed available investment opportunities in civil aviation and airport development. The visit aims to expand international cooperation and exchange expertise in civil aviation, supporting Saudi Vision 2030 goals of establishing Saudi Arabia as a global aviation hub. It seeks to attract global investors, strengthen Saudi-US economic ties, and showcase Saudi Arabia's aviation initiatives to create more travel options, attract quality investments, and enable private sector opportunities in both countries.

Riyadh Air has received its first simulator certification from GACA for its B787-9 aircraft simulator, after it met all required aviation safety standards. The license was presented by Captain Sulaiman bin Saleh Al-Muhaimidi, GACA Executive Vice President of Aviation Safety and Environmental Sustainability, to Peter Bellew, COO of Riyadh Air. The license issuance demonstrates GACA's dedication to strengthening the aviation sector while adhering to international safety and quality standards. It also shows GACA's commitment to embracing new technologies and collaborating with private sector partners to enhance aviation training infrastructure, ensuring the sector's sustainable growth and leadership. This simulator represents a qualitative addition aimed at improving pilot training quality and efficiency, providing a training environment that accurately simulates reality, contributing to enhanced operational readiness and highest levels of operational safety. It is worth noting that the National Civil Aviation Sector Strategy aims to enable Saudi Vision 2030 and establish the Kingdom's aviation sector as the leading sector in the Middle East, reaching 330 million passengers, increasing air cargo capacity to 4.5 million tons, and enhancing air connectivity to reach 250 destinations to and from the Kingdom's airports by 2030.

The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) yesterday issued its monthly performance report for December 2024 on the Kingdom's international and domestic airports, assessing them based on 11 operational performance standards to align with strategic objectives aimed at improving services, enhancing quality, and ensuring a seamless traveler experience.  King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Jizan, Arar International Airport, and Turaif Airport ranked highly in the report, with GACA categorizing airports for performance evaluation based on annual passenger numbers to ensure a transparent approach.  Among the category of international airports with more than 15 million passengers annually, King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh achieved first place with an 82% compliance rate. King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah came in second, with 73%.  King Fahd International Airport in Dammam tied for the first place with Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah in the category of international airports serving 5 to 15 million passengers annually, with a 91% compliance rate. The first outperformed the latter in terms of several standards.  In the category of 2 to 5 million annual passengers, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Jizan tied for first place with Abha International Airport, both achieving a 100% compliance rate. The first outperformed the latter by reaching higher targets in the specified evaluation criteria.  In the category of airports with fewer than 2 million annual passengers, Arar International Airport achieved a 100% compliance rate, outperforming its competitors in terms of average waiting time for departing and arriving flights.  Turaif Airport achieved first place in the domestic airport category, with a 100% compliance rate, outperforming all competing airports in terms of average waiting time for departing and arriving flights.  GACA evaluates airport performance through operational performance standards, focused on critical passenger touchpoints. These include check-in, security, passport control, customs, baggage claim, and assistance to passengers with reduced mobility. These metrics ensure a smooth and efficient travel experience for all passengers, aligning with international best practices.

The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) concluded its participation in the "Saudi House" initiative pavilion during the annual World Economic Forum 2025, held in Davos, Switzerland, from January 20 to 24. Organized by the Ministry of Economy and Planning, the initiative featured contributions from several government agencies.  The GACA pavilion attracted notable visitors, including former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and former FIFA President Sepp Blatter, who explored the latest advancements in Saudi aviation and the future of the Kingdom's air transport sector. Their engagement underscored the growing global interest in the investment opportunities offered by Saudi Arabia’s aviation sector.  During its participation, GACA hosted two high-level discussion sessions highlighting investment opportunities, incentives, and the strategic role of aviation as a key driver of Vision 2030. The sessions showcased the achievements of the Kingdom's aviation strategy, its transformation on the global stage, and the unprecedented investment opportunities available in the sector.  GACA outlined its ambitious plans to attract investments exceeding $100 billion, encompassing airports, airlines, ground services, shipping, and logistics. Over $50 billion has been allocated for airport development, approximately $40 billion for new aircraft purchase orders, and $10 billion for other projects, including $5 billion dedicated to establishing special logistics zones around the primary airports in Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam.

H.E. Abdulaziz Al-Duailej, President of the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), expressed his gratitude to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, following the royal decree that renewed his four-year term as GACA's president with a ministerial rank. H.E. Al-Duailej acknowledged his deep appreciation for the royal trust bestowed upon him, acknowledging the extensive support that the Kingdom's civil aviation sector receives from its wise leadership. He pledged to carry out his assigned duties to serve the Kingdom and fully meet the expectations of the country's leadership. H.E. Al-Duailej added that he and all civil aviation sector personnel, reaffirm their dedication to supporting Saudi Vision 2030 objectives, sustaining growth and achievements, and strengthening the Kingdom's position as a global aviation leader, concluding with prayers for the nation's continued security and prosperity.

The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) explored the future of the sector and its role in supporting innovation and investment during its participation in the Saudi House pavilion at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2025, held from January 20 to 24 at Davos, Switzerland. GACA highlighted its efforts to transform the civil aviation sector into an engine for innovation, sustainability, and economic growth for both the Kingdom and the world, reinforcing Saudi Arabia's leadership role on the international stage. The authority discussed investment opportunities through projects and incentives offered by the Kingdom's civil aviation sector, while emphasizing aviation's position as a key driver and supporter within Saudi Vision 2030. This was demonstrated through showcasing the achievements of the aviation sector strategy and its global transformation, alongside unprecedented investment opportunities in the Kingdom launched by the strategy aimed at establishing the aviation sector as an economic growth enabler. GACA highlighted the latest developments in major civil aviation projects in the Kingdom, such as King Salman International Airport in Riyadh, which features six runways, along with public-private partnerships for the privatization and development of Abha, Taif, Hail, and Qassim International Airports. The authority also presented investment opportunities in cargo and logistics, advanced air mobility, commercial aviation, and enabling tourism and business sectors, which play prominent roles in the Kingdom's economy, through the launch of the general aviation roadmap aimed at providing advanced infrastructure, new aircraft, and more sophisticated services. During its participation, GACA discussed the general aviation roadmap and its contribution to significantly increasing GDP, targeting tenfold growth to reach $2 billion by 2030. The sector's future direction includes adopting initiatives and programs to support private aviation, aiming to attract global investors, operators, manufacturers, and service providers to strengthen the Kingdom's position as a general aviation hub, while working to align infrastructure planning and regulations across the sector. The Saudi House pavilion reflects the Kingdom's growing international role and effective influence, serving as a platform connecting entrepreneurs, change-makers, and innovators to present strategic visions on key areas shaping our world's future. It is worth noting that the Saudi House initiative is organized by the Ministry of Economy and Planning, with participation from various government entities, and will hold several dialogue sessions to discuss the latest significant trends in social and economic transformation both locally and internationally.