Saudi GACA issues index for classification of air carriers
RIYADH, January 16, 2022
The Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) has issued an index for the classification of air carriers and airports based on the number of complaints submitted by travellers to the authority for December 2021.
GACA revealed the total number of complaints lodged by passengers on air carriers last month amounted to 391, and in the monitor Saudi Arabian Airlines came as the least airline company with complaints launched against it with 6 complaints per 100,000 passengers.
It had a complaint timely processing rate in the specified month that reached 99%, while Flynas came in second with (9) complaints per 100,000 passengers, and a timely processing rate of 98%.
Meanwhile, Flyadeal came in third, with (17) complaints per 100,000 passengers during the same month, with a timely complaints processing rate of 99%.
The most common complaint for December was about refunding the value of tickets, followed by delayed flights, and then the cancellation of flights, stated the GACA report.
GACA explained that the index for rating airports for the month of December indicated that King Fahd International Airport in Dammam had the lowest number of complaints submitted to the authority, at a rate of 1% per 100,000 passengers, in the index of international airports, in which the number of passengers exceeds 6 million passengers annually, with 5 complaints, and a timely complaints processing rate of 63%.
Meanwhile, King Abdullah International Airport in Jazan had the lowest complaints submitted to the authority, in the index of international airports where the number of passengers is below 6 million passengers annually, at a rate of 1% per 100,000 passengers with one complaint and a timely complaint processing rate of 100%.
Finally, the indicator for domestic airports, Najran Airport was the lowest in terms of complaints submitted to the authority, with a rate of 3% per 100 thousand passengers, with a rate of 3% per 100,000 passengers, recording two complaints and a timely response rate of 100%.
GACA explained that the issuance of the monthly report for the classification of air carriers and airports index (in terms of complaints submitted to the authority), aims to provide travellers with information about the performance of air carriers and airports in resolving their customers’ complaints, so that travellers can choose the appropriate service providers, as well as enhance efforts of being transparent.
This demonstrates GACA’s credibility and keenness on passenger complaints and stimulate fair competition between air carriers and airports, in away to develop and improve services.
