His Excellency the Minister of Transport and Chairman of the Board of the General Authority for Civil Aviation Mr. Sulaiman Bin Abdulla Al Hamdan, awarded the Air Operator Certificate to the Chairman of the Board of SaudiGulf Airlines, Mr. Tariq Bin Abdulhadi Al Qahtani, Chairman of Abdulhadi Al Qahtani & Sons Group of Companies.
Captain Abdulhakeem Bin Mohammed Al Badr Deputy President for Safety and Security, General Authority for Civil Aviation then proceeded to congratulate SaudiGulf Airlines for obtaining the Air Operator Certificate, and becoming the newest member of the group of Saudi Arabian national airlines, and joining the journey in developing the airline sector in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, offering improved services to the citizens and residents of the Kingdom.
Captain Al Badr confirmed that the Air Operator Certificate has been awarded to SaudiGulf Airlines after meeting the requirements to obtain the license, part of which consisted of test flights without passengers in the presence of licensing inspectors of the Authority to ensure that all safety and quality standards are met by the airline. In addition to the company previously fulfilling its financial obligations to ensure continuity in the provision of air passenger services in the Kingdom.
Mr. Tariq Bin Abdelhadi Al Qahtani, Chairman of the Board of SaudiGulf Airlines then proceeded to thank the Leadership of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for their continued support, wisdom and guidance. Mr. Al Qahtani then proceeded to thank the Minister of Transport for his support to national companies in fulfilling their part in the development of Air Transport in the Kingdom, and specifically for his diligent interest in the progress of the licensing of SaudiGulf Airlines.
The award ceremony was followed by a press conference in which Mr. Al Qahtani announced the launch of SaudiGulf Airlines to meet the increasing demand for air transport services in the Kingdom, due to the rapid growth of the Saudi Arabian economy.
This was the main driver behind the birth of the SaudiGulf Airlines project, to contribute to boosting air transport capacity both domestically and internationally, at exceptional service levels for the entire travel cycle.
Mr. Al Qahtani then disclosed to the media that the reason behind naming the airline “SaudiGulf” and using the colours of the national flag of the Kingdom, was to highlight its origin as a Saudi Arabian Carrier, and as a symbol of the strong connection between GCC countries.
He also added that the Golden Palm frond logo is a symbol of true Arabian heritage and hospitality, which will be evident in the service which passengers will receive with SaudiGulf Airlines.
Mr. Al Qahtani then expressed his confidence that the airline project will inspire businesses and businessmen alike in the Kingdom to develop similar initiatives to better serve the citizens and residents of the nation, with the support of the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The CEO of SaudiGulf Airlines Mr. Samer Majali then confirmed that 1st September 2016 will be the start of scheduled services with the introduction of 4 brand new Airbus A320 aircraft all fitted with the latest technology in-flight entertainment systems, and the highest features for comfort and safety.
Mr. Majali further added that these aircraft will connect Dammam to Riyadh and Jeddah with 3 – 4 flights daily, with the introduction of flights between Riyadh and Jeddah the following month with 4 flights daily going up to 7 flights by the year’s end. The first international flight will be from Dammam to Dubai and is expected before the end of the year.
Mr. Majali then stated that the airline will be working hard over the coming period prior to the start of scheduled operations to complete the registration and authorization requirements of the national and international authorities and to commission all of the service features that the airline will introduce from the outset.
Mr. Majali announced that 6 new aircraft will be added to the fleet starting in the second quarter of 2017, with an equivalent number in 2018, reaching a total of 26 aircraft within the next 3 years, to expand the network both locally and internationally.
Following which Mr. Karim Makhlouf, the Chief Commercial Officer of SaudiGulf Airlines, outlined the service strategy concept which involves the total travel cycle from the customers perspective, both internationally and domestically.
On-board the airline is investing in the passenger experience in terms of equipment and service delivery, with latest in-flight entertainment systems, Hollywood movies and games, genuine leather seats, complimentary hot meals for all classes, full on-board connectivity and hi-speed Wi-Fi.
On the ground the experience will include dedicated lounges, Arabic coffee and dates service at the boarding gate and a dedicated travel concierge service.
On-line, service features will include a sophisticated mobile app with live online chat and unique services through the call center and website which will make travelling with SaudiGulf Airline an enjoyable experience.