Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
SAUDIA Group – Saudi Airlines, flyadeal, and Saudi Private Aviation – have announced its operational plan for Hajj season 2023, allocating over one million and 200 thousand seats for pilgrims from all over the world. The integrated plan includes optimizing the use of SAUDIA group’s current fleet of 164 aircraft, with the provision of an additional fleet of 12 aircraft.
SAUDIA group will be transporting pilgrims from more than 100 scheduled destinations and 14 seasonal destinations to 6 airports in the Kingdom located in Jeddah, Riyadh, Dammam, Medina, Taif, and Yanbu. The 8 thousand cockpit and cabin crew can speak a total of 42 different languages and will graciously serve the guests during their trips; reflecting the generous nature of Saudi hospitality.
The plan ensures synergy from all SAUDIA Group subsidiaries, especially those concerned with providing services to pilgrims, specifically, Saudia Aerospace Engineering Industries (SAEI), Saudi Ground Services (SGS), and Saudi Airlines Catering Company (SACC), all of which will operate at full capacity and around the clock throughout the Hajj season. SAUDIA aims to provide the best air transport and logistic services, as well as other integrated services across all locations through digital platforms and qualified personnel to serve pilgrims upon arrival and departure.
Mr. Amer Alkhushail, Chief Hajj and Umrah Officer at SAUDIA Group, said, “Through our accumulated experience, capable employees, and our relentless pursuit to offer the best technical services that guarantee a smooth travel experience, SAUDIA Group is ready to implement a new Hajj plan. This operational plan is in line with the directives of the Supreme Hajj Committee, headed by His Royal Highness Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz, Minister of Interior; the Central Hajj Committee headed by His Royal Highness Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, Advisor to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, Governor of Makkah Region; and in cooperation with the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah and the Pilgrim Experience Program.”
AlKhushail also highlighted the importance of integrating performance with various government stakeholders at airports, like the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), along with all companies involved in organizing Hajj trips inside and outside the Kingdom. AlKhushail revealed that Prince Mohammad Bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Medina will receive the first flights arriving in the Kingdom on May 21.
Recently, SAUDIA Group has concluded a number of agreements with various authorities to serve pilgrims in many countries, as part of its endeavor to increase its operational share and invest in its reputation by providing air transport services in a distinct spiritual atmosphere. In addition, SAUDIA Group aims to achieve operational efficiency while fully complying with safety standards, which are its top priorities. The company has mobilized its human and digital capabilities to provide the best services and implement the plan through various paths, including the performance monitoring team, the terminal operations centre team, as well as the team in charge of the follow-up and pre-coordination with all sectors and relevant authorities. All these teams work around the clock and with direct follow-up from SAUDIA’s senior leadership.
SAUDIA Group provides pilgrims with many distinguished services, including issuance of boarding passes for the arrival and return flights from international departure and domestic terminals; staffing King Abdulaziz International Airport (KAIA) in Jeddah and Prince Mohammad Bin Abdulaziz International Airport (Madinah Airport) with navigators and employees fluent in the various languages; arranging the dispatch of Zamzam water bottles to various destinations; and providing additional flights for pilgrims wishing to travel to Medina by air. This is offered in addition to securing the operational requirements, including staff, labor and ground equipment, in proportion to the size of the operation. Therefore, SAUDIA Group has been working to train all front-line employees in the areas of Hajj protocol, crowd management, dealing with crises and responding to emergency plans.
As part of its endeavor to provide pilgrims with comprehensive services and enrich their travel experience, SAUDIA has updated its in-flight Islamic content including religious programs, especially those dedicated to raising awareness of Hajj. The updates include more than 134 hours of various religious programs and 590 hours of Quran recitations, in addition to many Islamic programs available in several languages, such as Arabic, English, Indonesian, Chinese, and other languages spoken by pilgrims. Moreover, SAUDIA’s Inflight Entertainment system offers a unique collection of educational e-books on how to perform Hajj and Umrah in more than 14 languages.
SAUDIA Group has also expanded its Hajj season plan activities to include sharing awareness messages to pilgrims in their languages through the official means in their countries, Hajj missions, Hajj organisations present in Makkah and Madinah, and across Hajj residences. In these messages, the company clarifies all matters related to the pilgrims’ journey, including details related to baggage, its weights and sizes, as well as mechanisms for accepting it at airports upon departure after the end of the Hajj, in order to facilitate their procedures beyond expectations.
About SAUDIA Group
SAUDIA Group is one of the largest aviation conglomerates in the MENA region. The Group has played a key role in developing the industry through its 12 subsidiaries and strategic business units, which deliver world-class air transport, cargo, ground services, logistics, maintenance, catering, private aviation, real estate, training, and medical services.
SAUDIA Group’s flagship entity Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAUDIA) is the national flag carrier of Saudi Arabia and one of the Middle East’s leading airlines. The Group also serves various segments of passengers through its subsidiaries including flyadeal for economy travelers, SAUDIA Private Aviation (SPA) for elite travelers, and the SAUDIA Royal Fleet for Saudi Arabia Royal Family. Meanwhile, its MRO division SAUDIA Aerospace Engineering Industries (SAEI) offers aircraft maintenance and manufacturing across the Middle East, Asia, Africa, Europe, and North America. Prince Sultan Aviation Academy (PSAA), the training arm of the group, is the largest aviation training academy in the MENA region.
The group also provides uninterrupted logistics and cargo-handling services through SAUDIA Cargo and Saudi Logistics Services (SAL). In addition, Saudi Airlines Catering and Saudi Ground Services Co. (SGS) offer a comprehensive range of catering and ground-handling services. The group offers medical services specialized in aviation through Medical Fakeeh and the Saudi Arabian Real Estate Development manages and invest in real estate for SAUDIA Group.
