Saudia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Saudia
السعودية

Founded	September 1945; 79 years ago (1945-09)
Hubs	Jeddah Riyadh
Focus cities	Medina
Frequent-flyer program	Al Fursan Loyalty
Alliance	SkyTeam
Subsidiaries	Flyadeal Saudia Cargo
Fleet size	157
Destinations	107
Parent company	Saudia Group Government of Saudi Arabia
Headquarters	Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Key people	Saleh Aljasser (Chairman) Ibrahim Alomar (Director General) Ibrahim Alkoshy (CEO)

Saudia (Arabic: السعودية as-Suʿūdiyyah), also known as Saudi Arabian Airlines for a long time, is the main airline of Saudi Arabia. It is based in Jeddah. The airline's main airports are King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah and King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. Saudia plans to make Riyadh less of a main hub by 2030.

Saudia flies to over 100 places in the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America. They also offer special flights, especially during the Ramadan and Hajj seasons. On May 29, 2012, Saudia joined the SkyTeam airline group. This made it the first airline from the Persian Gulf area to join one of the three big airline groups. Saudia is also a founding member of the Arab Air Carriers' Organization.

History of Saudia

How it all started

A Saudi Arabian Airlines Boeing 707 in 1969.

In 1945, U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt gave a Douglas DC-3 airplane as a gift to King Abdul Aziz Ibn Saud. This gift helped start civil aviation in Saudi Arabia. Saudia, then called Saudi Arabian Airlines, began in September 1945. It was owned by the government and managed by Trans World Airlines (TWA).

The airline's first main base was at the old Al-Kandara Airport near Jeddah. One of its first special flights was from Lydda (now Ben Gurion Airport) in Mandatory Palestine to take Hajj pilgrims to Jeddah. In March 1947, Saudia started regular flights using five DC-3 planes. These flights went between Jeddah, Riyadh, Hofuf, and Dhahran. Its first international flight was to Cairo. Soon after, flights to Beirut, Karachi, and Damascus began in early 1948. The next year, they received their first Bristol 170 planes, which could carry both people and cargo.

In 1962, the airline got two Boeing 720 jets. This made them one of the first airlines in the Middle East to use jet planes. On February 19, 1963, King Faisal signed papers making Saudia a fully independent company. Later, they bought DC-6s and Boeing 707s. The airline also joined the Arab Air Carriers' Organization (AACO). New flights started to cities like Frankfurt, Geneva, London, and Mumbai.

A Saudi Arabian Airlines Lockheed L-1011 TriStar in 1987.

In the 1970s, Saudia got a new look for its planes. The planes were white with green and blue stripes, and a green tail. On April 1, 1972, the airline's name officially changed to Saudia. They bought Boeing 737s and Fokker F-28s. The 737s replaced the older Douglas DC-9 planes. In 1977, Saudia started using Boeing 747s, also known as Jumbo Jets, for flights to London. They also began their first cargo flights between Saudi Arabia and Europe. New planes like Lockheed L-1011s were added. Saudia also started special "no reservation" flights called Arabian Express between Jeddah and Riyadh. A special unit called Special Flight Services (SFS) was created for flights for the Saudi royal family and government. Flights also started to Paris, Rome, and Stockholm. In 1979, Saudia and Pan Am started a shared service between Dhahran and New York City.

A Saudi Arabian Airlines Boeing 747SP in 1989.

The 1980s saw new services like Saudia Catering. Flights began to many new cities, including Amsterdam, Bangkok, Brussels, Delhi, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Madrid, and New York City. They also introduced Horizon Class, a business class service with better features. Cargo centers were built in Brussels and Taipei. The fleet grew with Airbus A300s, more Boeing 747s, and Cessna Citations for the SFS service. In 1989, flights to Larnaca and Addis Ababa started. On July 1, 1982, the first direct flight from Jeddah to New York City began using Boeing 747SP planes. A Riyadh-New York route followed.

A Saudi Arabian Airlines Boeing 737-200 in 1995.

In the 1990s, Saudia added flights to Orlando, Chennai, Washington, D.C., and Johannesburg. New planes like Boeing 777s, MD-90s, and MD-11s joined the fleet. New uniforms for female flight attendants were introduced. On July 16, 1996, Saudia launched a new brand look. Planes had a sand-colored body with a dark blue tailfin. The tailfin had a special design of the House of Saud crest. The name "Saudia" was dropped then, and the full name "Saudi Arabian Airlines" was used.

Recent developments (2000s–present)

On October 8, 2000, Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud signed a plan to study making Saudi Arabian Airlines a private company. To prepare for this, the airline changed how it was organized. Some parts, like catering, ground services, and maintenance, became separate businesses. In April 2005, the Saudi government said the airline might lose its special right to be the only one flying domestic routes.

In 2006, Saudia started to divide itself into different business units. The catering part was the first to become a private company. In August 2007, the government approved turning more units into companies. The plan was for ground services, technical services, air cargo, and the aviation academy to become separate companies under a main holding company.

On May 29, 2012, the airline changed its name back to Saudia. This was the name it used from 1972 to 1996. The name change happened to celebrate the airline joining the SkyTeam airline group on that day. It was part of a bigger plan to update the airline's image.

By the end of 2012, Saudia received 64 new planes (six from Boeing and 58 from Airbus). Eight more Boeing 787-9 planes started to arrive in 2015.

A Saudia Boeing 777 with a special design for the Saudi Arabia national football team in 2018.

In April 2016, Saudia announced a new, cheaper airline called Flyadeal. This airline was part of Saudia Group's plan to make its parts world-class by 2020. Flyadeal, which flies to places within Saudi Arabia and nearby regions, started flying in mid-2017.

Growth and new look (2020s–present)

In April 2021, Saudia announced it would test a mobile app from IATA. This app helps passengers keep their travel information and documents on their phones.

In December 2021, Saudia talked with Airbus and Boeing about buying new large planes. They planned to decide in early 2022 whether to order Airbus A350s, Boeing 777Xs, or more Boeing 787s. The airline also chose the CFM International LEAP engine for its Airbus A321neos, which are expected in 2024. Saudia plans to have 250 planes by 2030.

In April 2022, Saudia started flights to new cities like Seoul, Beijing, Barcelona, Bangkok, and Chicago. Flights to Kyiv are currently stopped due to the conflict in Ukraine. In June 2022, they restarted flights to Zürich. In July 2022, Saudia signed a deal to launch four new destinations: Zürich, Barcelona, Tunis, and Kuala Lumpur.

In March 2023, Saudia ordered 39 Boeing 787s, with options for ten more.

A Saudia Boeing 787-10 in 2024 with the new design and logo.

In September 2023, Saudia announced a new look and logo, similar to its 1980s design. They also introduced a new travel AI assistant called "SAUDIA," which uses Open AI's GPT-4.

Awards

Saudia was named the 'World's Most Improved Airline' by Skytrax in 2017 and 2020.

Sponsorships

Saudia sponsorships on a 1978 Williams FW06 race car.

Saudia was the main sponsor of the Williams Formula One team from 1977 to 1984. During this time, Williams won the Constructors' Championship twice (1980 and 1981). Two Williams drivers also won the Drivers' Championship: Alan Jones in 1980 and Keke Rosberg in 1982.

Saudia was also the main sponsor of the 2018 and 2019 Diriyah ePrix races. They are the official airline of Formula E. One of their planes, a Boeing 777-300ER, has a special design featuring an eagle head and a Formula E race car.

In November 2022, Newcastle United football club announced Saudia as their official airline partner for tours.

In March 2023, the Aston Martin F1 Team announced Saudia as their official global airline partner for several years.

Destinations

King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, Saudia's main hub.

As of October 2022, Saudia flies to 102 places. The airline plans to reach 250 destinations by 2030.

Codeshare agreements

Saudia works with other airlines through codeshare agreements. This means they sell tickets on each other's flights. They partner with SkyTeam airlines and others like:

Fleet

Current fleet

A Saudia Airbus A320-200.

A Saudia Airbus A330-300 with a special design for Saudi National Day.

A Saudia Boeing 777-300ER with a special Formula E design.

A Saudia Cargo Boeing 777F.

As of May 2024, the Saudia fleet has 147 aircraft, including planes for passengers and cargo:

Historic fleet

A Saudia Convair 340 in 1959.

A Saudia Lockheed L-1011 in 1985.

A Saudia McDonnell Douglas MD-90-30 in 2008.

A Saudia Boeing 747-400 rented from Air Atlanta Icelandic in 2012.

Saudia used to fly these aircraft:

Other special aircraft

A Saudi Royal Flight Boeing 747-400 at JFK Airport in 2018.

Saudia's Special Flight Services and Royal Flight Division operate other aircraft for VIP and government use. Some of these planes have the Saudia colors.

Some military C-130 planes also have Saudia colors. These are flown by the Royal Saudi Air Force to support Saudi officials. Since 2017, special mobile escalators travel with the King on separate planes.

In 2021, the Saudi royal flight's Boeing 747-400 got a new paint design. As of January 2022, a private company will operate all Saudi royal flight aircraft, and they will get new designs soon.

In-flight services

Saudia's magazine on board is called Ahlan Wasahlan (meaning "Hello and Welcome"). The airline does not serve alcoholic beverages or pork on its flights, following Islamic dietary laws. Some Airbus A320, Airbus A330-300, Boeing 787-9, Boeing 787-10, and Boeing 777-300ER planes have Wi-Fi and mobile network access. Most planes also have special prayer areas, and a recorded prayer is played before takeoff.

Incidents and accidents

Aviation safety is very important. Here are some notable incidents involving Saudia aircraft:

• On September 25, 1959, a Saudia Douglas DC-4 made a belly landing after takeoff from Jeddah. All 67 passengers and five crew members survived.
• On November 10, 1970, a Douglas DC-3 flying from Amman, Jordan, was hijacked and taken to Damascus, Syria.
• On January 2, 1976, Saudia Flight 5130, a McDonnell Douglas DC-10, landed short of the runway in Istanbul, Turkey. The engine caught fire, but everyone on board got out safely.

The aftermath of the fire aboard Saudia Flight 163 in 1980.

• On August 19, 1980, Saudia Flight 163, a Lockheed L-1011 TriStar, caught fire at Riyadh airport. Sadly, all 301 people on board passed away due to delays in leaving the plane.
• On December 22, 1980, Saudia Flight 162, a Lockheed L-1011-200 TriStar, had a sudden loss of air pressure. This caused two passengers to be pulled out of the plane.
• On April 5, 1984, a Saudia Lockheed L-1011 TriStar was hijacked while flying to Damascus. The hijacker was later arrested in Istanbul.
• On November 12, 1996, Saudia Flight 763, a Boeing 747-100B, was involved in a mid-air collision over India. All 312 people on board, plus 37 on the other plane, sadly passed away. This was Saudia's worst accident in terms of lives lost.
• On September 6, 1997, Saudia Flight 1861, a Boeing 737-200, had an engine problem during takeoff. The plane went off the runway, but all 85 people on board escaped safely.
• On October 14, 2000, Saudia Flight 115, a Boeing 777, was hijacked on its way to London. The hijackers took the plane to Baghdad, Iraq, where all 90 passengers and 15 crew members were safely released.
• On August 23, 2001, a Boeing 747-300 was damaged at Kuala Lumpur International Airport. No one was hurt.
• On September 8, 2005, a Boeing 747 from Colombo to Jeddah received a false bomb alarm. During the evacuation, one woman sadly passed away, and 62 people were injured.
• On May 25, 2008, an Air Atlanta Icelandic plane flying for Saudia made an emergency landing in Dhaka. A fire started in an engine, but everyone was safely evacuated with only minor injuries.
• On January 5, 2014, a rented Boeing 767 flying for Saudia had to make an emergency landing in Medina because its landing gear did not work. 29 people were injured.
• On August 5, 2014, a Boeing 747-400 went off the runway in Manila while getting ready for takeoff. No one was injured.
• On November 11, 2017, a MyCargo Airlines Boeing 747-400 cargo plane flying for Saudia went off the runway during takeoff due to an engine problem. The plane was repaired.
• On May 21, 2018, an Onur Air Airbus A330-200 flying for Saudia had to make a belly landing in Jeddah due to a problem with its nose landing gear. No injuries were reported.
• On June 20, 2022, a Boeing 777-368 went off a taxiway in Manila after landing. All 420 people on board were unharmed.
• On April 15, 2023, an Airbus A330-343 was damaged at Khartoum Airport during fighting. The plane caught fire, but everyone on board escaped without injuries.

See also

In Spanish: Saudia para niños

• List of airlines of Saudi Arabia
• Red Sea International Airport
• Saudi Vision 2030