The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has set in motion a significant expansion and development strategy for its airports and airlines, positioning itself as an essential transport and logistics hub. The head of the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), Abdulaziz Al Duailej, outlined that the Saudi Aviation Strategy is designed to bolster the Kingdom’s economic growth and offer attractive opportunities for global investors, with the blueprint echoing the transformative goals of Saudi Vision 2030.
Under the ambitious aviation blueprint, the Kingdom aims to serve 330 million air passengers by 2030, drawing in investments totaling $100 billion. Al Duailej discussed these plans during a ministerial session at the Wings India 2024 exhibition conference, an event bringing together a multitude of international civil aviation leaders and organizations.
Taking place at Hyderabad’s Begumpet Airport from January 18 to 21, 2024, the exhibition will showcase various facets of the aviation industry. Al Duailej emphasized the critical role civil aviation plays in Saudi Arabia’s economic growth and sustainable development. He shared that the Kingdom is on track to redefine the future of its aviation sector, aiming to create a standout travel experience for more than 330 million passengers annually by 2030, with only 10% being transit passengers, highlighting the focus on sustainable and integrated growth.
Al Duailej highlighted that the strategy involves a comprehensive plan to enhance and modernize airports, airlines, aircraft, and related shipping and logistics services. The objective is to extend the Kingdom’s air connectivity to over 250 destinations worldwide through 29 airports, led by two major connectivity hubs in Riyadh and Jeddah. The strategy also aims to significantly increase air freight capacity from 0.8 million tons to 4.5 million tons by 2030, marking one of the most ambitious initiatives to attract global air carriers and logistics service providers to the Kingdom.
Al Duailej underlined the Kingdom’s recognition of the vast potential and opportunities present within the Indian civil aviation market. He expressed a commitment to enhancing air links between India and Saudi Arabia, which will serve as a foundation for developing future relations between the two nations. He also stressed the importance of solidifying partnerships within the global civil aviation sector, noting India’s position as the third-largest domestic aviation market, which is anticipated to become the third-largest market overall by 2026.
Concluding his remarks, the GACA President extended an invitation to the participants of Wings India 2024 to attend the Future of Aviation Conference, to be held in Riyadh from May 20 to 22, 2024. The conference aims to make a substantial contribution to the future of civil aviation, with the Kingdom expressing readiness to collaborate with international partners for a more prosperous and sustainable aviation sector.