Saudi Arabia opens air space to all carriers that follow overflight authority terms
July 15, 2022, 11:43 am

Saudi Arabia opens air space to all carriers that follow overflight authority terms

Saudi airlines/Official Facebook page

Saudi Arabia's aviation authority announced plans to open its airspace "to all airlines that meet the authority's requirements for overflight" on Thursday night (July 14).

“The General Authority of Civil Aviation announces the decision to open the Kingdom’s air space for all air carriers that meet the requirements of the Authority for overflying,” the statement said.

The move will also “consolidate the Kingdom’s position as a global hub connecting three continents,” the statement clarified. Enabling wider access to this crucial air space also allows for greater international air connectivity.

Saudi Arabia has plans to boost airports’ capacity to handle 330 million passengers by 2030, Abdulaziz bin Abdullah al-Duailej, head of GACA, told Al Arabiya news in May.

GACA aims to invest over $100 billion in the aviation sector by 2030, al-Duailej said, adding that investments are expected to be funded by the private and public sector.

Saudi Arabia's aviation authority announced plans to open its airspace "to all airlines that meet the authority's requirements for overflight" on Thursday night (July 14) (Photo: Pixabay)

Saudi Arabia also aims to increase annual air cargo volumes to 4.5 million by 2030 from 900,000 tons in 2019, of which half would be transiting elsewhere, Mohammed Alkhuraisi, head of strategy at the General Authority of Civil Aviation told Reuters in April.

US President Joe Biden, who is currently on a state visit to Israel and is due to travel to Saudi Arabia on Friday, praised the Saudi leadership's move as a "historic decision."

Saudi Crown Prince inaugurates second phase of restoring historical mosques

White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said in a statement: “This decision paves the way for a more integrated, stable, and secure Middle East region, which is vital for the security and prosperity of the United States and the American people, and for the security and prosperity of Israel,”

Israel and Saudi Arabia have no diplomatic relations, with the Gulf kingdom not even recognising Israel as a state, one possible reason why the Saudi statement did not refer to Israel by name, the Anews reported, citing the DPA.

Kremlin hopes Biden not seeking to turn Saudi Arabia against Russia

The announcement of an open skies policy by Riyadh will mean shorter flights from Asia to Israel, as airlines serving those routes will no longer be required to take long detours around Saudi Arabia en route to Israel.

Biden's visit is his first to the Middle East since taking office last year. Several Arab states have established diplomatic relations with Israel in the past few years as part of the US-brokered Abraham Accords, though despite its step towards rapprochement on Thursday, Saudi Arabia is currently considered unlikely to join them in doing so.

levantnews-agencies

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum turns 73 today Lebanese state media employees strike over worsening conditions

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”