Saudia witnesses 21% yearly surge in passengers

Saudia witnesses 21% yearly surge in passengers

Image courtesy: Saudia

Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) said it carried 30 million passengers in 2023, a 21 per cent increase compared to a year earlier, as the aviation industry in the kingdom is experiencing unprecedented growth on the back of the country’s economic prosperity.

The state-owned carrier operated 176,300 flights while transit flights registered 77 per cent growth compared to the year 2019.

It enhanced its operational model in 2023, focusing on increasing seat capacity, and flights frequency while fostering operational efficiency to achieve an overall on-time performance of 86.44 per cent.

The airline operated more than 79,400 international flights and transported over 16.7 million passengers through its international flight network, a 36 per cent increase from 2022.

Saudia registered a 26 per cent increase in flight hours with 382,000 flight hours in 2023.

Domestically, the airline carried more than 13.5 million passengers and operated 96,900 flights.

The national carrier currently operates flights to more than 100 destinations across four continents with a diverse fleet of 142 aircraft. It launched flights to several international destinations including Beijing, Birmingham, and Johannesburg.

“Saudia’s growing performance metrics reflect the optimal execution of our year-round operational plan, particularly during peak seasons,” said Captain Ibrahim Koshy, CEO of Saudia Group.

“Looking ahead, we anticipate