GACA issues classification of air carriers and airports for the month of May

The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) issued today an index for the classification of air carriers and airports based on the number of complaints filed by passengers to GACA during the month of May 2021.

GACA revealed that the total number of complaints filed by passengers on air carriers during the month of May, amounted to (285) complaints, compared to the same month of last year 2020, in which complaints reached (165), and the index monitored stated that Saudi Arabian Airlines came as the least number of complaints by airlines, at a rate of 4 complaints per 100,000 passengers, and a timely complaint handling rate that reached 77%  for the month of May, while Flynas came in second with (13) complaints per 100,000 passengers during the same period, and a timely complaint handling rate, which reached 90%, and flyadeal came in third, with a number of complaints reached (37) complaints per 100,000 passengers, with a timely complaint handling rate of 50%.

The most received complaints’ category for the month of May were tickets refund, which came in first, then flight cancellation, followed by flight delays.

GACA pointed out that the index for rating airports indicated that King Fahd International Airport in Dammam had the lowest complaints filed to GACA per 100,000 passengers during the month of May, with two complaints and a timely complaint processing rate of 67%, while Abha Airport came in second with two complaints per 100,000 passengers that were submitted to the airport and 100% complaint handling rate, while Najran International Airport ranked third with three complaints per 100,000 passengers, and a timely complaint handling rate, which reached 100%. Meanwhile, the following airports, respectively, had the lowest complaints per 100,000 passengers at each of (King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah, King Saud Airport in Al Baha, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Jazan, Taif International Airport, Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Tabuk, Prince Abdul Mohsen bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Yanbu, King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, Sharurah Airport, Qaisumah Airport, Bisha Airport and Al-Ahsa International Airport).

GACA stated that the issuance of the monthly report for the classification of air carriers and airports (in terms of complaints filed to the authority), aims to provide passengers with information on the performance of air carriers and airports in resolving their customers' complaints to enable travelers to choose the appropriate service provider. This in addition to enhancing the transparency and demonstrate GACA’s credibility and keenness on passengers’ complaints, and stimulating fair competition between air carriers and airports to develop and improve the quality of services provided to passengers.