OAG Travel News

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is home to the world’s largest pilgrimage – the annual Hajj.  Each year, on dates that change based on the Islamic lunar calendar, millions of Muslims from around the world travel to Mecca, the holiest meeting site of the Islamic religion.  The 2009 Hajj is scheduled for the end of November.  This week I wanted to review air service in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in advance of this important event.

The number of airports in Saudi Arabia that handle scheduled commercial flights – 26 – remains unchanged over the past five years.  King Abdulaziz International Airport (JED) in Jeddah maintains its position as the country’s busiest airport, accounting for nearly one in three flights.  King Khalid International Airport (RUH) in the capital of Riyadh ranks as the country’s second-busiest airport; combined, JED and RUH account for half of Saudi Arabia’s total flights.

Saudi Arabian Airlines, the national carrier, is also the largest carrier accounting for 69 percent of the country’s flights in November 2009.  However, Saudi Arabian’s market share has fallen from 82 percent five years ago.  Over this period, several Saudi-based low-cost carriers have been launched and have found success in the market.  National Air Services – known as Nas – was Saudi Arabia’s first low-cost carrier.  Nas initiated service in February 2007 and now operates service to 22 cities, with its hub in Riyadh.  Sama – whose meanings include ‘to rise’ or ‘to become exalted’ – also began service in early 2007.  Sama currently provides service to nearly 20 cities and also has its main base in Riyadh.  Other low-cost carriers in the region, including Kuwait’s Jazeera Airways and Wataniya Airways, and Sharjah’s (UAE) Air Arabia also provide service to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

In November 2004, 37 airlines served Saudi Arabia; in November 2009, this number had increased by a third to number 51 airlines.  Total flights have increased more than 50 percent over this period, bringing the average of total daily flight departures from Saudi Arabia to 450.  In 2004, 33 different aircraft types operated service at Saudi Arabia’s 26 commercial airports, and the Boeing 777-200 was the most popular in terms of number of flights.  By 2009, the number of aircraft types had risen to 45, and the Airbus A320 ranked first while the Boeing 777-200 has fallen to second place.

The majority of air service in the Kingdom continues to be domestic – 71 percent of flights were domestic in 2004, and this number dropped slightly to 67 percent in 2009.  Only four airports in Saudi Arabia have international service – JED, RUH, Medina’s Prince Mohammad Bin Abdulaziz International Airport (MED) and Dammam’s King Fahd International Airport (DMM).  A total of 71 international destinations are currently served from Saudi Arabia, down from 78 that were served five years ago.  Cairo International Airport (CAI) in Egypt is the most well-connected airport to Saudi Arabia, with nearly 20 daily flights from four Saudi cities.  In fact, Cairo is one of only five airports outside of Saudi Arabia that enjoys nonstop service to JED, RUH, MED and DMM; the other four are Alexandria (ALY), Egypt; Damascus (DAM), Syria; Kuwait (KWI); and Sharjah (SHJ), United Arab Emirates.

Over two million pilgrims from around the world are estimated to visit Saudi Arabia for this year’s Hajj; the airports in Medina and Jeddah are the busiest Hajj airports and will handle hundreds of charter flights.  And a new Saudi-based airline is trying to capitalize on the Hajj.  Alwafeer Air – Pilgrim Air - obtained an operating license in early October and has leased three Boeing 747 aircraft from Malaysia Airlines.  Alwafeer Air intends to begin operations this month, just in time to serve the 2009 pilgrims.

Source: Official Airline Guide (OAG) Schedule Tapes for November 2004 and November 2009 only, unless otherwise noted; Sama data for October 2009; includes flight departures for scheduled commercial service (no charters) only; Air Transport Intelligence; Reuters (Saudi's 'Pilgrim Air' Plans IPO In 2-3 Years).