The Civil Aviation Authority was putting the finishing touches on a new Saudi legislation that would safeguard travelers' rights.
These types of regulations have existed since the beginning of air travel, and they are outlined in international legislation issued by the two international organizations (ICAO) affiliated with governmental aviation authorities of countries and (IATA), which represents the Air Transport Association. They will begin to be implemented on November 20 of this year for all airlines that stop in Saudi Arabian territory or have offices there.
The second legislative version differs in that it is more in line with the national strategy for transport and logistics services, which was approved on June 30, 2021, with funding from the government totaling $100 billion. It also better meets its objectives by including an airline based in Riyadh with a focus on tourism and international travel, known as flying. Saudi Airlines will be more focused on Hajj and Umrah trips as a result of Riyadh, which is scheduled to open in 2025, adding nearly $20 billion to the country's gross domestic product and more than 230,000 jobs. Saudi Airlines, by the way, is still a public institution and not a company, except for ground services. Additionally, 25 out of 29 airports have been privatized and are now operated by holding companies and partnerships between local and foreign businesses, as is the case at Madinah Airport, as well as Jeddah, Riyadh, and Dammam Airports, even though the most recent airport contracts were only valid for five years and were not renewed, and the number of passengers has increased from 109 million in 2019 to 330 million in 2030, with 30 million transit passengers, transit services, and other users.
The national strategy undoubtedly succeeds in making the Kingdom a hub for international aviation, but it requires an integrated work system. The most notable of these are: equipped airports, professional operational departments, open lines with the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding (transit) visas, and the presence of designated lounges for Saudi Airlines at international airports, as does the German (Lufthansa), away from Sky Team and (the napping cat) between
In addition, a look at the factors that have prevented Saudi Airlines flights from being assigned since 2004 and then listed on the Saudi financial market, despite the skilled engineer Khaled Al-Mulhim's assistance at the turn of the millennium in transferring his model from Saudi Telecom to the national carrier, and a review of Singapore Airlines' experience with the fund. Its embrace of the holy sites of Mecca and Medina, along with the fact that it is not more than eight hours away from 90% of the world's countries, qualifies Singapore's sovereign government to be considered a model transit station and increases tourist demand for the city-state. if correctly cleaned.
The new rule completes the flexible temporary visas for tourists.
According to statistics from 2022, the total number of tourists in the Kingdom reached 93 million 500,000, including 77 million domestic tourists and 16 million 500,000 tourists from abroad. The new regulation, in my opinion, is complementary to the tourist and flexible temporary visas, and according to the International Travel and Tourism Council, the Saudi travel and tourism sector contributes about 6.5% of the gross domestic product. The rule focused on reasonable remuneration for travelers, which did not exist, and varied between $134 and $1,750, using the experience of a tourist or traveler.
In addition to requiring the air carrier to refund the ticket's value, up to 200% of its value, in the event of a flight delay, cancellation, or submission, or when downgrading the boarding class or refusing to board, or during unscheduled (transit) stops, or if the air carrier failed to meet the needs of passengers with disabilities, such as those using wheelchairs, or did not board them, along with the delay on the runway upon departure or arrival, and damaged, delayed, or lost The new rights of passengers in the Kingdom, in terms of their guarantees, are superior to those approved in the European Union countries in 2004, and all of them work in the interest of the national economy and diversify and maximize sources of income. These include notifying the Civil Aviation Authority of its direct knowledge and returning the rights to their owners.
