Saudi Arabia Delays Decision On Foreign Operator License
Flag carrier Saudi Arabian Airlines should face new competition from whichever foreign airline the country’s government approves for one of the new operating licenses it plans to issue, but the process has taken longer than expected.
Flag carrier Saudi Arabian Airlines should face new competition from whichever foreign airline the country’s government approves for one of the new operating licenses it plans to issue, but the process has taken longer than expected.

Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Civil Aviation has postponed until next February a long-awaited decision on which foreign airline it will allow to start operating domestic and international services in the country’s highly restrictive air transport market, the agency confirmed last week. Confusingly, GACA spokesman Khalid Al-Khaibary told Arab News the Saudis will grant startup licenses to whatever airline wins within four to six months, even though authorities say they expect flights to begin in April. If, however, they delay the award until February, that four- to six-month window appears at odds with the April target.