Saudi Arabia’s national flag carrier, Saudia, has continued its transformation in 2023 with the transportation of over 30 million guests.
This marks a 21pc increase compared to the previous year, with the operation of more than 176,300 flights, demonstrating a 4pc increase, while transit flights witnessed a growth of 77pc in 2023 compared to the year 2019.
These accomplishments are as a result of Saudia’s strategic enhancements to its operational model, which focused on increasing seat capacity and flights frequency while fostering operational efficiency to achieve an overall on-time performance of 86.44pc in 2023 which is among the top 10 globally.
Internationally, Saudia has played a pivotal role in connecting the world to the Kingdom by transporting over 16.7 million passengers through its international flight network, marking a substantial 36pc increase.
The airline operated more than 79,400 international flights, marking a 19pc increase compared to the previous year. Saudia has also registered a 26pc increase in flight hours with 382,000 flight hours in 2023.
Domestically, Saudia continued to serve the Kingdom by transporting over 13.5 million passengers, showcasing a 7pc growth compared to previous year. Moreover,55pc of the total flights operated, totaling 96,600 flights, were dedicated to the domestic destinations, accumulating 163,000 flight hours.
Saudia has also inaugurated operations to the Red Sea International Airport in 2023, alongside the launch of several international stations including Beijing, China, Birmingham, UK, and Johannesburg, South Africa, reinforcing its commitment to expanding its global reach across various continents.
“Saudia’s growing performance metrics reflect the optimal execution of our year-round operational plan, particularly during peak seasons. These figures are a testament to our success in serving key sectors, including tourism, business, and pilgrimage,” said Captain Ibrahim Koshy, Saudia Group Chief Executive Officer.
“Looking ahead, we anticipate a substantial expansion of our fleet, propelling our performance and marking a new chapter for Saudia since its inception, eighty-years ago,” he added.
Saudia currently operates flights to over one hundred destinations across four continents with a diverse fleet of 142 aircraft. With strategic investments in King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, Saudia aims to establish a central hub that bridges the East with the West for transit flights.
This aligns with the airline’s commitment to improve the travel experience for guests through the adoption of the latest digital systems, artificial intelligence technologies, as well as introducing an upgraded system infrastructure which is set to elevate operational efficiency and punctuality.
