#Saudi Arabian Airlines

[brianfrench1995]

Saudi Arabian Airlines 720 Postcard . HZ-ACA

@postcardtimemachine

[littlepawz]

Rare photo of a vegan plane refuelling? 

Actually, it’s a photo of Saudi Arabian Airlines Flight 3830 (HZ-AIO) that was written off after crashing in a ditch during taxiing from the hanger to the gate at Kuala Lumpur Airport on On 23 August 2001.  

[grey-space-computing]

🔒 Secure Your Seats with Confidence! Your safety and security are paramount. Our app, powered by Amadeus APIs, ensures that every booking is secure and protected. Travel with peace of mind with Grey Space Computing. ✈️ 🔗 Secure your next trip at https://greyspacecomputing.com/custom-mobile-application-development-services/  📧 Contact us: https://greyspacecomputing.com/contact-us/ #GreySpaceComputing #SafeTravels #SecureBooking #PeaceOfMind #SaudiArabia #VisitSaudi #AmadeusAPI #Travelappdevelopment #Appdevelopment #KSA #Appdevelopment

[runwayrunway]

No. 36 - Riyadh Air

No, they are not changing their name to Saudi Arabian Airways, but there is a new development on the Saudi Arabian flag carrier front.

That's right, Saudia is dead, sayonara you w-

No. That isn't true, that was a joke. But what isn't a joke is that Riyadh Air is a planned second flag carrier for Saudi Arabia.

That's mostly a joke. Other countries have multiple flag carriers, though that comes with a couple caveats. Usually when this happens one is full-service and international while the other is domestic and/or low cost. The UAE has two flag carriers, but one is Dubai's and the other is Abu Dhabi's, which feels like an important distinction.

Saudi Arabia, on the other hand, just has decided they want to operate a second airline instead of doing the normal thing and putting all their resources into one really good airline. I don't understand it. The plan is to keep Saudia based in Jeddah while Riyadh Air is based in Riyadh...again, plenty of airlines have multiple hubs, so I don't see the point. They claim to be the first "digital-native airline", which is shaped like words yet means nothing (also, take that up with David Neeleman and Breeze). They've nabbed Etihad's old CEO and bought a bunch of 787s, and the stated goal is to become the largest carrier in the Gulf region at an unprecedented blistering pace in order to increase tourism. Given Emirates's numbers...well, it's probably still more likely to happen than a startup airline operating exclusively A380s managing to turn a profit, but that's not saying much.

Anyway, they've got a livery! Apparently this is the first of two, so expect a follow-up post when the second one drops, but for now there's plenty to talk about as is.

Unlike many - nay, most - of the subjects I cover, Riyadh Air has made me do absolutely zero research. You do get modern liveries like jetBlue and Lufthansa with little style guides to weakly attempt to back up their relatively mundane graphic design choices and things like condor and Icelandair's lovely little webpages, but Riyadh Air has done them all at least one if not several better by not only explaining in detail where they got their inspiration but also giving me a high-res 3D model of their airplane that I can rotate and zoom in and out on.

Take care; my computer is fairly underpowered and I do have an absurd number of tabs open most of the time, but this did crash my browser multiple times. Even just opening the main page of their website makes my CPU sound like it's spooling up for takeoff.

Okay. First I want to discuss the logo. They've got a video up on their thought process. I had transcribed it, but it looks better in motion, and thankfully they've stopped making it autoplay (presumably because, as I mentioned, this website absolutely guzzles processor as is) and in the process made it possible for me to simply left-click it off their website and into this post. Don't worry about it killing your browser. It's a normal video in a normal tumblr post without a 100 million dollar website chugging along in the background.

(I've taken some screenshots in case anyone does have trouble with the video.)

Now this is how you design a logo. The airplane window thing feels, in retrospect, so obvious I can't believe nobody had done it yet. I think it pairs gorgeously with the R, and I love that they chose to take inspiration from Arabic calligraphy, which is not only a massive point of pride for cultures which utilize the script but also just generally gorgeous. (It looks a bit like a stretched backwards hamza to me.) The shape of the bird's wing is the part I have the most trouble actually connecting to what I'm seeing, but sure, I'll give it to them. What the heck. This logo is nice.

I mentioned when discussing China Airlines that very few airlines use lavender as a primary color. Well, here's one that does! They actually discuss this on their website as well:

Inspired by the lavender blossoms that carpet Saudi Arabia, we've chosen this color because it symbolizes Saudi generosity and its authentic hospitality.

And this is, again, pretty fantastic. This is a thoughtful choice which isn't lazy or arbitrary. It has the potential to really pack a visual punch, and it does the thing I love when flag carriers do - references a feature of its home nation.

An upside to the fact that the livery page takes eons for my computer to chew on is that I get shown this lovely loading screen, which demonstrates the fantastic combination of blues and purples which make up the full scheme of this airline's colors. I love the combination of these colors. Light saturated colors are rare enough, but to see extremely dark blues and purples together like this is a rare delight. It definitely has the potential to get eyestrainy, but if done well it could look absolutely breathtaking.

But will it be done well? After all, a good idea isn't always well-implemented - see condor - and China Airlines's livery fails for me because it's barely got any lavender! So does Riyadh Air fall into the same pit? Let's check the browser-destroying 3D model they've lovingly provided us.

I love that 3D model, by the way. Instead of looking for a bunch of pictures of airplanes that happen to be in the correct lighting and at the right angle to demonstrate the exact thing I'm attempting to discuss I can just...zoom in while putting the plane at the specific angle I want. Normally I actually try not to rely too heavily on things like style guides because a piece of flat-colored concept art isn't actually going to communicate how a plane looks in motion and with light on it, but this is a really really robust model. Sure, it's not quite as maneuverable as I'd like it to be, it's still not a perfect representation of real life, but it's really well made. It even sways side to side a bit and if you zoom in close enough you can see they bothered to model the external sensors and the engines are even turning! Don't worry about the fact that if you zoom in even further you can tell the engines are just a fan suspended floating in a cowling. They even added ambient engine sounds. This model is so cool it legitimately took me several minutes of turning it around and muttering "wow..." under my breath before I realized the environment it was sitting in was just some very stretched and crunchy jpgs.

Mmm, those reflections.

To be honest, I also just enjoyed playing with this thing. It's almost like having a real model plane, but doesn't cost more money than I have! But enough of that.

So they definitely didn't chicken out when it came to the lavender. This plane is as purple as a Breeze Airways plane is blue (it is very purple). It's not just a purple tube, though. Even from a distance you can see that there's added detail here.

I love the wordmark, first off. They've really committed to the billboard look with this gigantic text in both English and Arabic. I love it. With such an overwhelming main body color it feels prudent to make sure the name is as visible as possible so it doesn't get lost in the shuffle.

And with this gigantic, recognizable logo plastered on the bottom you'd be able to identify it just as well from below (and this is zoomed out as far as the website let me!). In fact, the depth of the design really shines best from below. That's not necessarily a good thing, because your plane does have to be parked sometimes, but it's not a dealbreaker either. I just need to say that this is probably my favorite design for an engine nacelle, ever. It's gorgeous, and you can see in the first picture how well it flows into the main design. They don't go together quite as well from the bottom, and from below the plane does look a bit rear-heavy and the wordmark peering in is a bit awkward, but none of those ruin it. I would be stunned if I saw this fly overhead.

The website provides a few details about the design if you zoom in and click little black dots. It took me ages to realize this. It's neither intuitive nor accessible and I truly despise it, so I've taken the liberty of transcribing the bits that matter.

You can turn this plane in any which way you'd like, zoom in and out, and the details on the bottom never stop being beautiful and coherent. It truly does remind me of calligraphy. As they describe it:

Rooted in our Heritage The controlled, smooth linear profiles make up our signature "Canopy Twist". A perfect balance of our rich local culture and our modern global outlook, connecting the city of Riyadh to the world.

I love the name 'Canopy Twist', to be honest. And I love the design, too. My one criticism of it is the colors. They already have an established secondary shade of purple. That they used the text color for the highlights makes sense, but why couldn't they have used their lavender instead of a third shade of purple? In the quantity used for the underside it feels disconnected from the rest of the livery and they could have fixed that very easily by just...using their already existing secondary shade of purple? I think it would make for a very nice bridge to the tail as well, and it just feels like a colossal missed opportunity.

You may have noticed that the bulk of the fuselage body is a color a bit darker than what might conventionally be considered 'lavender'. This, too, is noted.

Indigo Livery Inspired by the ever-changing colors that paint the sky from dusk till dawn. A symbol of tranquility, harmony and integrity.

(This color is obviously purple, not indigo, but I will not belabor that point.)

I love the description, the idea of the transition between dusk and dawn. Much like the window as a basis for a logo, this makes me go "why in the world has nobody thought of that before? That's brilliant!"

It makes me think a bit more could have been done in the details. Maybe the canopy twist could be a gradient, like the gradient of the sky while the sun is rising? Just a thought.

And ultimately it's the canopy twist that is my only real sticking point with this livery. It is beautiful and unique and well-designed and it is simply a color that sticks out like a sore thumb. It's the only warm thing creeping into a design otherwise full of beautiful cool tones, it has gorgeous flow within itself but breaks up the feeling of consistency through the airframe as a whole, and I just...I really wish it were lavender.

If that's my main issue you can do a lot worse. And overall I do like the Riyadh Air livery. If that one detail was changed, this would easily be an A. This review would be all but uncritical. Except for the fact that it could use a bit of canopy twist up top, too (maybe just a tiny bit on the top of the nose, flowing in the same direction) in order to make the plane feel less rear-heavy (though it already beats out the vast majority of liveries in that sense), the issue with the color is my only big criticism. But it's the main detail of the design, isn't it?

It's wild. So much of the time my reviews are "good details, bad when you step back". But this is the opposite. Fantastic, but there's that one detail that sticks with you. And the details by and large are far from bad too. I mentioned the nacelles, and I think it very elegantly transitions the tail into the body. It would be more elegant if the design on the body was the same lavender, though!

A few more nitpicks: the centering of the logo on the tailfin is a little strange, the tail would look better if it had a bit of a gradient to make it less matte-seeming, and the combined effect of those is very luxury-hotel-towel-monogram. Okay. I'm done complaining.

So it falls short of being one of the best I've ever reviewed, but I still really, really like it. The calligraphy inspiration creates these elegant sweeping lines that are perfectly at home on the 787. The deep purple looks luxurious despite the fact that Riyadh Air doesn't plan to offer first class. It's eyecatching. It's stylish.

And, now that I've covered all this, let's look at the colors in person! That's right, they've already had a plane delivered in full Riyadh Air colors.

The deep purple with the lighter canopy twist, combined with the tiny white dots of the various probes and such, make this plane look like an animal camouflaging itself against the night sky in a place untouched by light pollution. The light lavender contrasts sharply in this particular image, sharply enough that it feels like a slice cut out of the plane.

This continues to be an issue from other angles and in other lightings, but the cool-toned light makes this purple look like true indigo and the blueish cast improves the look, giving an almost fluorescent appearance to the transition between the twist and the tail. The way the light reflects off the dark paint makes it look rippling and shifting and alive in a way it never could off white.

In shadow, the plane looks as dark as a city sky. In light, the vibrant purple of a fresh eggplant. This paint job adapts wonderfully to its environment. Much like Vietnam Airlines's, each light brings out a unique beauty.

And sometimes, the tail, detached though it may look, does so in the way a shining arm of a spiral galaxy neatly transitions into the black expanse around it.

Riyadh Air's planes range from ultraviolet to supervoid, but they are never lost in their environment. The principles behind the design remain consistent, and beautiful, and alone in a sky full of planes which refuse to embrace the dark skies they fly in on red-eye journeys.

Ultimately, I think Riyadh Air's livery feels a bit overdesigned. They added one color too many, and a few decisions feel like they don't belong together in the same picture. Just think about the amount of colors here, the balance of major features, and think about Vietnam Airlines, and you'll see what I mean. I'm not a fan of minimalism, but sometimes the only way to keep a story straight is to minimize loose ends. A secret becomes exponentially more likely to be exposed with each new person who learns it.

But before I looked closer, before I zoomed in and out on a little 3D model while my computer screamed, I saw this livery for the first time and my jaw hit the floor. And the average person isn't going to think about this the way I do. Ultimately, my critical eye is usually something I defer to, but I can't argue with the fact that this livery is going to be to someone else what China Airlines is to me. And, like China Airlines, when they come back and look closer at it they'll notice it wasn't as perfect as they thought, but...we've come so far, if this is someone's China Airlines. And as much as I nitpick at details the package counts, too. If you asked me why China Airlines got a C- instead of a D+, my honest reason would be...it struck me enough that I singled it out to begin with, even though that started to fall apart when I looked closer.

Why am I giving Riyadh Air an A- instead of a B+? Because this plane will stun people 5,000 feet below it, and they'll think to themselves that it's the prettiest plane they've ever seen.

[aniflight]

Hello ✈️, this week marked my second week working with Porter Airlines. I had both morning and evening shifts, and it was a great experience—productive yet fun! 😊 My colleagues are incredibly kind, and I really enjoy helping passengers at the kiosk, which makes every shift exciting. 🎉 I feel more confident and happy with my decision to pursue a career in aviation. During one of my evening shifts, I had the opportunity to meet the CEO, who was very approachable and friendly. 👏 I also met some flight attendants from Saudi Arabian Airlines, and they were really impressive and cool! 🌟

[aviaposter]

Airbus A330-300 Saudia

Registration: HZ-AQE Painted: Saudi National Day special colours Type: A330-343 Engines: 2 × RR Trent 772B-60 Serial Number: 1147 First flight: Aug 26, 2010

Saudia, formerly known as Saudi Arabian Airlines, is the flag carrier of Saudi Arabia, based in Jeddah. The airline's main operational base is at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah. King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and King Fahd International Airport in Dammam are secondary hubs. It operates domestic and international scheduled flights to over 100 destinations in the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Europe and North America. Domestic and international charter flights are operated, mostly during the Ramadan and the Hajj season. It joined the SkyTeam airline alliance on 29 May 2012 becoming the first Persian Gulf carrier to join one of the three major airline alliances. Saudia is a member and one of the founders of the Arab Air Carriers Organization. In September 2016, the Airbus A330 (HZ-AQE) was painted in special colors "Saudi National Day".

Poster for Aviators. aviaposter.com

[gonzalo-obes]

IMAGENES Y DATOS INTERESANTES DEL DIA 12 DE NOVIEMBRE DE 2023

Día Mundial contra la Neumonía, Día del Abrazo en Familia, Semana Internacional de la Ciencia y la Paz, Año Internacional del Mijo y Año Internacional del Diálogo como Garantía de Paz.

Santa Fina, San Margarito, San Renato, San Josafat, San Cristiano y San Emiliano

Tal día como hoy en el año 1990: El productor Frank Farian hace público que las voces del dúo alemán Milli Vanilli son en realidad de otros dos cantantes, descubriéndose el que se considera el mayor fraude de la historia de la música.

En 1990: Tim Berners-Lee describe la idea de la World Wide Web, o conjunto de protocolos para compartir información operando sobre los existentes (Internet), que dará lugar a la Web como hoy en día se conoce.

En 1996: Un avión Boeing 747 de Saudi Arabian Airlines y un Ilyushin Il-76 de carga kazajo colisionan en pleno vuelo, sobre la villa de Charkhi Dadri (India), causando la muerte a 349 personas, todos sus ocupantes. Es el accidente aéreo más mortífero en pleno vuelo de la historia de la aviación.

En 1996: En votación de la Asamblea General de la ONU resulta por mayoría la negativa al embargo estadounidense contra Cuba.

En 1997: Ramzi Yousef es declarado culpable del atentado a las Torres Gemelas de 1993 y condenado a cadena perpetua sin posibilidad de libertad condicional.

En 2001: El ejército talibán abandona Kabul (capital de Afganistán), a causa de la llegada de la Alianza del Norte.

En 2001: Se estrella un avión Airbus A300 de la compañía American Airlines en el barrio de Queens (Nueva York) que acaba de despegar, causando la muerte a sus 260 ocupantes y a 5 personas más en tierra.

En 2001: Se reúnen por primera vez los tres componentes vivos de la banda de rock The Beatles, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr y George Harrison, a petición de este último, que fallecería 17 días después.

En 2014: El módulo de aterrizaje Philae se desprende de la sonda espacial Rosetta y aterriza sobre el cometa 67P/Churiumov-Guerasimenko, siendo la primera vez que un dispositivo humano llega a posarse en un cometa.

[thedesignair]

Riyadh Air launches livery and brand video ahead of AIX

Riyadh Air, the new Saudi Arabian airline, headed up by veteran CEO Tony Douglas has just unveiled the first of two liveries that will adorn the airline’s fleet on Instagram earlier today. The airline has certainly decided to stand out with a bold, metallic purple look that will draw attention as it touches down to its impressive 100+ destinations by the decade’s end. With an accelerated growth…

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 11.12 (after 1970)

1970 – The Oregon Highway Division attempts to destroy a rotting beached sperm whale with explosives, leading to the now infamous "exploding whale" incident. 1970 – The 1970 Bhola cyclone makes landfall on the coast of East Pakistan, becoming the deadliest tropical cyclone in history. 1971 – Vietnam War: As part of Vietnamization, U.S. President Richard Nixon sets February 1, 1972 as the deadline for the removal of another 45,000 American troops from Vietnam. 1971 – Aeroflot Flight N-63 crashes on approach to Vinnytsia Airport, killing 48. 1975 – The Comoros joins the United Nations. 1977 – France conducts the Oreste nuclear test as 14th in the group of 29, 1975–78 French nuclear tests series. 1979 – Iran hostage crisis: In response to the hostage situation in Tehran, U.S. President Jimmy Carter orders a halt to all petroleum imports into the United States from Iran. 1980 – The NASA space probe Voyager I makes its closest approach to Saturn and takes the first images of its rings. 1981 – Space Shuttle program: Mission STS-2, utilizing the Space Shuttle Columbia, marks the first time a crewed spacecraft is launched into space twice. 1982 – USSR: Yuri Andropov becomes the General Secretary of the Communist Party's Central Committee, succeeding Leonid I. Brezhnev. 1990 – Crown Prince Akihito is formally installed as Emperor Akihito of Japan, becoming the 125th Japanese monarch. 1990 – Tim Berners-Lee publishes a formal proposal for the World Wide Web. 1991 – Santa Cruz massacre: The Indonesian Army open fire on a crowd of student protesters in Dili, East Timor. 1995 – Erdut Agreement regarding the peaceful resolution to the Croatian War of Independence is reached. 1995 – Space Shuttle Atlantis launches on STS-74 to deliver the Mir Docking Module to the Russian space station Mir. 1996 – A Saudi Arabian Airlines Boeing 747 and a Kazakh Ilyushin Il-76 cargo plane collide in mid-air near New Delhi, killing 349 in the deadliest mid-air collision to date. 1997 – Ramzi Yousef is found guilty of masterminding the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. 1999 – The 7.2 Mw  Düzce earthquake shakes northwestern Turkey with a maximum Mercalli intensity of IX (Violent). At least 845 people are killed and almost 5,000 are injured. 2001 – In New York City, American Airlines Flight 587, an Airbus A300 en route to the Dominican Republic, crashes minutes after takeoff from John F. Kennedy International Airport, killing all 260 on board and five on the ground. 2001 – War in Afghanistan: Taliban forces abandon Kabul, ahead of advancing Afghan Northern Alliance troops. 2003 – Iraq War: In Nasiriyah, Iraq, at least 23 people, among them the first Italian casualties of the 2003 invasion of Iraq, are killed in a suicide bomb attack on an Italian police base. 2003 – Shanghai Transrapid sets a new world speed record of 501 kilometres per hour (311 mph) for commercial railway systems, which remains the fastest for unmodified commercial rail vehicles. 2011 – Silvio Berlusconi tenders his resignation as Prime Minister of Italy, effective November 16, due in large part to the European sovereign debt crisis. 2011 – A blast in Iran's Shahid Modarres missile base leads to the death of 17 of the Revolutionary Guards members, including Hassan Tehrani Moghaddam, a key figure in Iran's missile program. 2014 – The Philae lander, deployed from the European Space Agency's Rosetta probe, reaches the surface of Comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko. 2014 – An Armenian Mil Mi-24 attack helicopter is shot down by Azerbaijani forces, killing all three people on board. 2015 – Two suicide bombers detonate explosives in Bourj el-Barajneh, Beirut, killing 43 people and injuring over 200 others. 2017 – The 7.3 Mw  Kermanshah earthquake shakes the northern Iran–Iraq border with a maximum Mercalli intensity of VIII (Severe). At least 410 people are killed and over 7,000 are injured. 2021 – The Los Angeles Superior Court formally ends the 14-year conservatorship to pop singer Britney Spears.

[head-post]

Air France diverted Red Sea flights after crew spotted “luminous object”

An Air France spokesperson said flights over the Red Sea were suspended after the crew had reported a “luminous object” at high altitude near Sudan, according to Arab media.

This decision follows a crew’s observation of a luminous object at high altitude in the Sudan area.

The company called the suspension a “precautionary measure” until further notice. Nevertheless, tensions across the region remain high over Iran’s potential retaliation for Israel’s strike in the next few days.

Several flights were affected, including flight AF934 from Paris-Charles de Gaulle to Antananarivo, Madagascar, which returned to Paris about three hours after departure. Additional flight AF814 to Nairobi and associated return flights AF935 and AF815 were delayed, with some rescheduled for 4 November.

The incident took place amid growing security concerns in the Red Sea region, where Yemeni Houthis intensified attacks on naval vessels and launched rockets towards Israel. In response, airlines operating flights in the area are adjusting routes and reinforcing security protocols.

Air France reminds that the safety of its customers and crews is its absolute imperative. The company is constantly monitoring developments in the geopolitical situation of the territories served and overflown by its aircraft.

According to FlightRadar24, the airline’s flights were diverted through Omani and Saudi Arabian airspace following the suspension. The course changes increase flight times by about one hour and boost fuel consumption, while many other flights have been diverted to Iraqi territory.

The Red Sea Corridor is the most important air route connecting Europe to East Africa and the Indian Ocean region.

Read more HERE

[nadaabdo55]

eading Logistics Companies in Saudi

Logistics Companies in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia, as a major economic hub in the Middle East, relies heavily on efficient logistics services to support its growing trade and commerce. Numerous logistics companies operate within the Kingdom, providing a wide range of services to meet the diverse needs of businesses.

Key Logistics Services Offered in Saudi Arabia

Transportation:

Road Transportation: Extensive network of highways and roads for transporting goods across the country.

Rail Transportation: Expanding rail infrastructure to connect major cities and industrial zones.

Maritime Transportation: Major ports like Jeddah, Dammam, and Ras Tanura handle international trade.

Air Transportation: Several international airports facilitate air cargo transportation.

Warehousing and Storage:

Modern warehouses equipped with advanced technology for efficient inventory management and storage.

Temperature-controlled facilities for perishable goods.

Bonded warehouses for duty-free storage of imported goods.

Customs Clearance:

Expertise in navigating complex customs procedures and regulations.

Ensuring compliance with import/export requirements.

Supply Chain Management:

Integrated solutions for optimizing the flow of goods from suppliers to customers.

Inventory management, transportation planning, and order fulfillment.

E-commerce Logistics:

Specialized services for handling online orders, including last-mile delivery and returns management.

Leading Logistics Companies in Saudi 

Saudi Post: The national postal service, offering domestic and international parcel delivery.

Saudi Arabian Airlines Cargo: Air cargo services connecting Saudi Arabia to major destinations worldwide.

Bahri: A leading global shipping company, providing maritime transportation services.

Saudi Logistics Services (SLS): A government-owned company offering comprehensive logistics solutions.

Panalpina: A global logistics provider with a strong presence in Saudi Arabia.

DHL: A well-known international courier and logistics company.

FedEx: Another major international logistics player operating in Saudi Arabia.

Factors Driving the Growth of Logistics Industry in Saudi Arabia

Economic Diversification: The Kingdom's Vision 2030 aims to reduce reliance on oil and diversify the economy, which has increased demand for logistics services.

Growing E-commerce Market: The rise of online shopping has fueled the need for efficient delivery and logistics solutions.

Infrastructure Development: Investments in transportation infrastructure, such as roads, railways, and ports, have improved connectivity and facilitated trade.

Government Initiatives: The Saudi government has implemented various initiatives to support the growth of the logistics sector, including regulatory reforms and incentives for foreign investment.

[mordormr]

Middle East Aircraft MRO Market: Trends and Future Outlook 

The Middle East aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) market is poised for substantial growth, driven by increasing air travel demand, the expanding fleet size, and technological advancements. Expected to reach USD 7.14 billion by 2029, with a CAGR of 2.91% from USD 6.18 billion in 2024, this market is critical for ensuring aviation safety and operational efficiency. This article explores key trends, market drivers, segmentation, recent developments, and the competitive landscape within the Middle East aircraft MRO sector. 

Market Overview 

The Middle East aircraft MRO market encompasses a wide range of services, including airframe maintenance, engine repair, and component services. The region's strategic geographic location as a hub for international air travel enhances the significance of MRO services. 

Key Market Drivers 

Increasing Air Travel Demand: The Middle East is witnessing a surge in air passenger traffic, projected to reach 500 million by 2030. This growth necessitates regular maintenance and repair of aircraft to ensure safety and compliance. 

Fleet Expansion: Airlines in the region are expanding their fleets to accommodate growing travel demand. The average fleet age is decreasing, leading to higher MRO service requirements. 

Technological Advancements: Innovations in aircraft technology, such as predictive maintenance and digital MRO solutions, are enhancing operational efficiency and reducing downtime. 

Recent Developments and News 

Investment in MRO Infrastructure: Companies are investing in state-of-the-art MRO facilities to enhance capabilities and accommodate the growing demand for services. 

Public-Private Partnerships: Collaborations between governments and private firms are emerging to improve MRO capabilities and service efficiency in the region. 

Sustainability Initiatives: The aviation industry is increasingly focusing on sustainability, with MRO providers adopting eco-friendly practices and technologies. 

Workforce Development: Training programs are being implemented to address the skills gap in the MRO workforce, ensuring that technicians are equipped with the latest knowledge and skills. 

Digital Transformation: The adoption of digital tools and data analytics is streamlining MRO operations, improving maintenance forecasting, and enhancing overall efficiency. 

Market Analysis 

The Middle East aircraft MRO market is characterized by a mix of global players and regional specialists. Key players such as Etihad Airways Engineering, Gulfstream Aerospace, and Saudi Arabian Airlines dominate the landscape, focusing on quality, reliability, and customer service. 

Consumer Trends 

Preference for Quality Services: Airlines are increasingly prioritizing high-quality MRO services to ensure aircraft safety and compliance with regulations. 

Demand for Fast Turnaround Times: With the rising number of flights, airlines seek MRO providers that can offer quick turnaround times without compromising on quality. 

Focus on Cost Efficiency: Airlines are looking for MRO solutions that provide cost-effective services, with many opting for outsourcing maintenance to specialized providers. 

Regional Insights 

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia are the largest markets for aircraft MRO services, driven by major airlines such as Emirates and Saudi Arabian Airlines expanding their fleet and MRO capabilities. 

Challenges and Opportunities 

Challenges such as regulatory compliance and the need for skilled labor exist, but the growing demand for air travel and fleet expansion presents substantial opportunities for MRO service providers. 

Conclusion 

According to Mordor Intelligence, the Middle East aircraft MRO market is set for significant growth, driven by increasing air travel, fleet expansion, and technological advancements. Companies must invest in infrastructure, workforce development, and sustainable practices to thrive in this dynamic market. 

[runwayrunway]

No. 35 - Saudia/Saudi Arabian Airlines

This is the third of three requests from @twtd11. A very serendipitously timed one, because I had just begun researching for this post when it came in.

I would just like to take a moment to thank you for the requests. Everyone, but specifically twtd11 for sending in multiple. I love writing these, and there are so many potentially juicy topics out there. There are between 5,000 and 5,500 airlines currently with ICAO codes, some of which have had multiple liveries throughout history or even multiple in active use, before even mentioning the defunct ones. There is a non-negligible degree of decision paralysis that comes with choosing subjects, and requests help steer me towards topics and trains of thought I'm interested in discussing. Not to mention, of course, that I get to cover things that people are actively interested in seeing. I appreciate them a lot.

Okay. Aside...aside. Let's talk about Saudia, or Saudi Arabian Airlines, whichever one it is at any given time, the flag carrier of Saudi Arabia.

Let me propose a hypothetical to you. Say you were one of the richest countries on the entire planet, strategically located somewhere that both has most major cities in the world within range for a nonstop flight and enough oil that it basically prints money. You're trying to participate in geopolitics and have the world's third largest immigrant population. You are the site of the largest pilgrimage in the world, now largely conducted by air. You have a flag carrier, like most countries, and over half your fleet is large twin-aisle jets ready to be plopped down at airports all over the world.

You'd want to make them.....look really interesting and striking and memorable, right? Really represent your country's culture and heritage and remind the people exhaustedly looking out of the window of a plane that's been baking on the tarmac for an hour of how big and important your airline is?

I just think I would have made different choices here.

Saudia is obviously the flag carrier of Saudi Arabia. I think the government tried to privatise it at some point but I don't think they've actually finished that process. It was founded in 1945 as Saudi Arabian Airlines, and was run by TWA despite being wholly government-owned.

Saudia is really weird.

It was named Saudi Arabian Airlines until 1972, when it became Saudia. In 1996 it was renamed back to Saudia Arabian Airlines, and it was then renamed back again to Saudia in 2012. This is definitely confusing and/or silly. It also makes it comparably harder to date historical mentions of it just by name the way it does hearing USAir vs US Airways. I even see sources, including relatively journalistic ones, incorrectly use the anachronistic name anyway. Saudia is the better name, in my opinion. If you think 'Saudia' is shorter than 'Saudi Arabian Airlines', compare 'السعودية' to 'الخطوط الجوية العربية السعودية'.  'al-Ḫuṭūṭ al-Jawwiyyah al-ʿArabiyyah as-Suʿūdiyyah'. The way that proper nouns work in Arabic make an already long name completely unwieldy, while Saudia is completely regular and manageable. It's a bit pointless to discuss, though. The two have become interchangeable at this point. The switches have become more and more frequent over time, too. I'm taking bets for what happens in 2026 - are they going to become Saudi Arabian Airlines again, or will they daringly pick a third option and become Saudia Arabian Airlines? (They will not do this, and they're Saudia to me forever anyway.)

This is sort of a trend with Saudia. They have such a non-brand that they keep doing 'brand overhauls' which are negligibly different from each other. This applies to their liveries too. A new Saudia livery is the equivalent of a Fall/Winter collection from the Gap. It's...the Gap. New Saudia livery? Well...it's an airplane livery with Saudia branding. That's just not anything.

 image: ted quackenbush

image: ruthas

Hey, everyone! We added a livery revision! We had a cheatline and now it's a hockey stick!

We added more stripes! Aren't we innovative?

I actually do love the combination of these specific blues and greens, and would love to see it used on a competent livery, but attached to nothing it's just so sad. The same goes for the typeface used. Gorgeous, but meaningless. It was actually decent for the time, but...look, I'm not here to talk about it, and given what's coming it's hard to be too nice to it even though the colorscheme is genuinely gorgeous.

I also think this illustrates fantastically my point about Saudia vs Saudi Arabian Airlines. In the pictures above, each side has one of the names written in English and the other in Arabic, and...I think you can see for yourself.

This livery is so incredibly boring that it somehow looks worse on the TriStar than the 737, which is so unusual! The more interesting shape of the TriStar just lets on how painfully boring this is.

But that was then. Where are we now?

Ah...not much better. It's an upside-down United situation, half white and half off-white, which can look classy in some cases but in this example just looks dated. You have to do something to distinguish a livery like this. A nice color scheme (which this gold-and-dark-blue certainly is) and a gorgeous typeface can't save it.

This picture gives a fantastic view of how gorgeous the cream, gold, green, and dark blue used are. If only they were used in a way that accomplishes something! This is a travesty of great details which are just put down on a piece of paper and left to sit! Good details mean nothing if they're all you have. It just makes this livery all the more tragic.

('God Bless You' is not the name of the plane, just something written on all Saudia planes. Bless you too, HZ-HM1A.)

Why would you ever. Why would you ever color only the top of the fin on an MD-11, and then leave the engine flesh-color. Did not a single person realize that the ratio of blue to cream this creates looks terrible?

This is so frustrating. Every feature here is visually pleasing, and the plane itself sort of is unless you look close, but it's so nothing, so cowardly, that I become angry. This is bereft of design and creativity, despite having all the features it needs to succeed if they were applied decently. (Seriously, that typeface is beautiful.)

The Arab States of the Persian Gulf are some of the wealthiest countries in the world. Their airlines tend to be luxurious, with brand new fleets of well-equipped airliners replete with some of the world's best first-and-business-class cabins for the discerning travelling millionaire. I've never flown with one of them, because I am not a millionaire (or particularly discerning when it comes to cabin service, in all honesty), but it absolutely does show in their liveries. Each of them carries itself with a unique sort of careless gravitas, like a bed with a carved walnut headboard and brocade sheets, neatly made in the morning by an underpaid and mistreated migrant housekeeper.

Compare Saudia. The elegant frame of the Dreamliner given the livery of a mid-90s US carrier which would go out of business before the mid-aughts. This is non-design.

I mention, when I outline my grading system, that a D grade is not only for liveries which are ugly or badly designed. That's how I've ended up using it so far, most of the time. After all, I mostly discuss liveries that are interesting, since there's more to talk about and more to motivate me to write a post. And I do think Saudia is somewhat interesting case of a livery which is pretty, which has nice features, which is...inoffensive. Yet it is so cowardly that I truly do not believe it is satisfactory. It's almost a little unsettling, how there's nothing about this livery I specifically dislike yet the complete package is so reprehensible to me.

Final Grade: D+

Well, okay, I'm done with this livery. Tomorrow's bonus post will be about a much more interesting Saudi airline, and we'll have a post later today about a much more interesting aspect of Saudia's design, but for the moment thankfully we're done with this...

...this is a wet lease. They've been wet leasing planes to meet hajj demand, and those planes are primarily white. But for a moment I thought this was actually a new livery and almost began crying.

Okay. We're okay. This is their most recent non-lease delivery. We're okay. Don't scare me like that, Saudia! Geez!

[aviaposter]

Boeing 747-400 BDSF Saudia Cargo

Registration: 9H-AKF Type: 747-45E BDSF Engines: 4 × GE CF6-80C2B1F Serial Number: 27898 First flight: Dec 28, 1994

Saudia Cargo is a Saudi Arabian air freight flag carrier established in 2007 with headquarters in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In 2008, the company joined the IATA interest group Cargo iQ. Saudia Cargo provides multi-specialized cargo handling as it operates a fleet of 8 freighter aircraft (B747-400 and B777F) to 13 cargo destinations as well as over 58 belly international destinations across six continents. The airline's main hub is at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah and King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. Saudia Cargo joined the SkyTeam Cargo airline alliance on April 15, 2019.

Poster for Aviators. aviaposter.com

[zoyahameed4314]

Can I do Umrah on my own?

Can I do Umrah on my own? Some travellers who want to arrange the pilgrimage to Mecca without any travel agency frequently ask this question. Yes, you can do Umrah on your own. However, careful planning is critical to fulfilling this task effectively.

Planning an Umrah trip typically entails purchasing a travel package from any travel company. However, the Saudi government has significantly changed its policies regarding the country's tourism sector in recent years. With these modifications, pilgrims can freely organize their holy journey to Mecca. Today, organizing a DIY Umrah journey is a trend worldwide. However, many first-time travellers still get Umrah Packages from Sheffield from any reputable travel agent because of some challenges.

The Rise of DIY Umrah

The Saudi government has modernized its tourism industry through several measures. One of the Saudi government's goals in modernizing tourism in Saudi Arabia is to provide travellers with the ability to plan their own Umrah. Let's examine the outstanding steps/initiatives below:

A more comprehensive range of flight options

The expansion of flight options has dramatically enhanced the popularity of DIY Umrah. Travellers have greater freedom to arrange their trips due to various airlines and destinations. While traditional airlines offer premium services to accommodate different preferences and budgets, budget airlines offer affordable rates.

Furthermore, more direct and connected flight schedules have made it simpler for individuals from many areas to start their spiritual pilgrimage. Individuals can now customize their Umrah experiences to suit their needs and interests, travelling at their own pace to experience all aspects of this holy journey thanks to the expansion of flight options.

Diverse accommodation choices

DIY Umrah provides a range of lodging choices to fit every preference and budget. There is something for everyone, from the elegance of five-star hotels with luxurious amenities to the ease and affordability of low-cost lodgings. Furnished villas and apartments provide the amenities and flexibility of a home for people looking for a more genuine experience.

Pilgrims on limited funds might also choose shared accommodations in guesthouses or hostels, which makes their stay more affordable. The final decision on lodging is based on group size, personal preferences, and needs.

Improved transportation infrastructure

Saudi Arabia's improved transit system is revolutionary for pilgrims doing the Umrah independently. Saudi Arabian airports, public transportation systems, and road networks can all be enhanced to significantly advance travel. This shortens the trip time and lessens the anxiety of exploring unfamiliar places. Improved connectivity allows pilgrims to quickly explore the various parts of Mecca and Medina while concentrating more on their spiritual journey.

In 2018, the Saudi government launched the Haramain High-Speed Railway to connect Mecca and Medina efficiently. This fastest train has reduced the time it takes to travel from Mecca to Medina. Taking a bus or a car usually takes 6 to 8 hours. But you may travel from Mecca to Medina in about two hours by taking the Haramain train.

Introducing online visa application

Saudi Arabia simplified the visa application procedure in 2019 by introducing electronic visas. Through this program, visitors can apply for a Saudi Arabian visa without the assistance of a travel agency. This is beneficial for those who question, "How to perform Umrah without travel agent?"

Furthermore, the Saudi government implemented an electronic visa waiver (EVW) for citizens of the United Kingdom last year. Travellers from the UK can enter Saudi Arabia for various purposes using the EVW, such as study, business, tourism, and Umrah. If travellers prefer not to consult a travel agency, they can apply for this visa by simply going to visitsaudi.com.

Digital platforms

Thanks to digital platforms that have completely changed the Umrah experience, travellers who wish to organize their own pilgrimage to Mecca without the assistance of a travel agency now have DIY options available. These platforms offer a complete set of tools for scheduling flights, lodging, and other forms of transportation whenever it's most convenient for them. Travellers frequently include secure payment methods, real-time availability, and pricing comparison to make planning more accessible and practical. Furthermore, several platforms offer helpful tools like information guides, interactive maps, and prayer times. These applications enable pilgrims to embark on their spiritual journey with assurance and effectiveness.

[engineersretreat]

Elevate your collection to new heights with our extra-large 1/150 scale premium resin model of the Saudi Arabian Boeing 747.

#aircraftmodel # Saudi airlines