Suleiman bin Abdullah Al-Hamdan, Minister of Transportation and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the General Authority of Civil Aviation, presented the air operator’s certificate to Tariq bin Abdulhadi Al-Qahtani, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Saudi Gulf Airlines, during a ceremony held for this occasion, The Minister of Transportation affirmed that the Saudi market is large and capable of accommodating many operators in the field of air transport, Al-Hamdan noted that the separation of the General Authority of Civil Aviation from Saudi Arabian Airlines is well underway, stating, "We are in the process of implementing the separation procedures so that the General Authority of Civil Aviation can maintain an equal distance from all parties as a regulatory body capable of achieving market balance," The minister explained that the Kingdom currently has about 27 airports, emphasizing that these airports are undergoing major development to accommodate the growing number of passengers, which is expected to triple in the coming years.
For his part, Captain Abdulhakim bin Mohammed Al-Badr, Assistant President of the General Authority of Civil Aviation for Safety, Security, and Air Transport, stated that an air operator certificate is granted after the applicant meets the necessary licensing requirements, which include all technical aspects, such as conducting test flights without passengers under the supervision and in the presence of the Authority’s licensing specialists to assess the company’s readiness in all technical and operational aspects related to aviation safety.
In the same context, Tariq bin Abdulhadi Al-Qahtani, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Saudi Gulf Airlines, praised the significant support provided by the state to national companies to enable them to play their role in developing the air transport industry in the Kingdom, and specifically mentioned the Minister of Transportation’s diligent follow-up on the licensing procedures for Saudi Gulf Airlines. He concluded his remarks by thanking all Civil Aviation Authority staff and Saudi Gulf Airlines personnel for their tireless efforts in achieving this milestone.
Al-Qahtani added that the name "Saudi Gulf" and the use of the colors of the Saudi flag in the logo signify the airline’s origins in the Kingdom and its close ties to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. The golden palm frond was chosen as a symbol of Arab authenticity and heritage.
Speaking during the ceremony, the CEO of Saudi Gulf "Samer Abdul-Salam Al-Majali," who set September 1 as the launch date for regular flights aboard four of the newest Airbus A320 aircraft, equipped with state-of-the-art entertainment systems and the highest standards of comfort and safety.
Al-Majali explained that these aircraft will be used to connect Dammam with both Riyadh and Jeddah, with three to four flights daily to each destination. He also set the following month as the start date for an air bridge connecting Riyadh and Jeddah, with four daily flights initially, increasing to seven daily flights by the end of the year.
