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1981 - 1990
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Click here to see The Founders of Saudia !!!!!
Saudia History:
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1. Picture Gallery !!
2. Founders of Saudi Arabia
(picture)
3. 1951 - 1960
4. 1961 -1970
5. 1971 - 1980
6. 1981 - 1990
7. 1991 Onwards
8. Market Opportunities & Threats
9. Saudi Arabian Airline's Strengths
& Weaknesses
10. Saudi Arabian Airline's Traffic Analysis
1981 - 1985
With the dawn of the decade of the 80s four more TriStar joined the fleet, and a TriStar simulator was installed at the Flight Training Centre.
Meanwhile the international network continued to develop with Dhaka, Mogadishu, Bangkok and Nairobi being added. This development in 1980 meant that Saudia was then serving 21 international destinations within the Kingdom.
This was also the year in which Saudia changed away from EASYTRAC (the American computerized baggage tracing system) to BAGTRAC, the IATA/SITA system.
Under the 1980 - 1985 development plan, priority was given to upgrading Saudia's services and equipment, with planning for controlled expansion at an annual rate of 30 per cent.
New aircrafts were ordered eight B747 - 100s and two long range B747Ps as well as 11 Airbus A300-600s to add urgently needed wide body capacity to all major routes.
By the end of the year Saudia had carried some 9.5 million revenue passengers a growth of 19 per cent over the figure for the previous year.
The major event of 1981 was the opening in Jeddah for the superb new airport King Abdul Aziz International Airport (KAIA) in May. Rated as the world's largest airport, it was designed to handle 3,500 passengers an hour while the custom built cargo terminal was designed for a throughput of 150,000 tones per year.
During the year two more TriStars and the first four B747 100s joined the fleet, while the first B747P inaugurated a non stop Jeddah, New York service.
A leased B747 freighter added a useful 100-ton cargo capacity to routes from the Kingdom to London, Paris, Amsterdam and Frankfurt.
In order development during the year Khartoum was added to the DC8 cargo network, and the Special Flight Services fleet took delivery of the new improved Gulfstream Gill.
The arrival in 1982 of the second B747SP meant that the frequency of the Jeddah - New York services could be doubled, and by the end of the year all ten B747ds were in service. Network additions included Singapore, Nice, Sharjah, Manila and Islamabad.
By the time Saudia was looking with interest at Korea and in 1983 Seoul became the airline's newest Far East destination.
At the year-end Saudia totaled 11.4 million passengers, producing an operating profit of SR75 million. In addition, cargo uplift had increased by 38 per cent to 158,000 tones.
Just before the end of the year December 5 - Saudia began operating out of the magnificent new airport at Riyadh - King Khaled International Airport (KKIA). This superb airport now made it possible for other international airlines to make direct flights to the Saudi capital.
The following year saw all 11 of the new Airbus A300-600s enter services with Saudia, while Colombo was added to the network, making it the eight city to join Saudia's Asian region since 1980.
Meanwhile, the Materials Engineering Management Information System (MEMIS) was brought in house, and two Cessna Citation IIS joined the Special Flight Services fleet.
Saudia's 40th anniversary in 1985 found the airlines still the world's fastest growing carrier with a staff level of 24,000 and over 90 aircraft in Saudia colours.
The commencement of basic flight training in the Kingdom heralded the establishment of an Aviation Academy, another highly significant milestone in the Kingdom's aviation industry development.
On July 21st the first of ten B747-300s with "stretched" upper deck increasing passenger capacity by 10 per cent, entered services. By December 22 a total of five B747-300s were in services.
The year was also important for Saudia's cargo development programme. On September 1st cargo expanded to a new European hub Brussels, and on November 1st Saudia undertook the warehouse cargo handling of all 43 airlines operating into KAIA, Jeddah.
1986 - 1990
One time performance became the buzz word of 1986 with some highly commendable figures coming to the fore. Statistics published in April showed that for three consecutive months Saudia had beaten 90 per cent for on time departures. Individual 'scores' were Jeddah 93.6 per cent, Riyadh 92.6 per cent and Dhahran 91.4 per cent.
A report at the time noted; "Thanks to the munificence of HM King Fahad, the luxury features installed in Saudia's new B747-300s most notably the reclining Al-Faris seats are unmatched by any other airline in the world. The 747-300 fleet, completing its first year of service on Saudia's long haul routes, wins high regard."
In fact the remaining five B747-300s entered service in January, March, July, August and November ( the last in service was Alpha, India and Tango on November 13).
By the end of the year Saudia's growing international reputation received an additional lift with appointment of the Director General to the executive committees of AACO and IATA.
In 1987 two more cities joined Saudia's international network - Kualalumpur, federal capital of Malaysia, and Dakar in Senegal.
In mid year Saudia inaugurated its new "Horizon Class" for business travelers, a move that brought immediate praise for the high standards set.
By then in its fifth year of operation, Saudia Catering achieved a profit of SR 49 million and boasted an airline customer list of 39 foreign airlines. Within the Kingdom, comprehensive programmes of airport expansion and improvement continued in passenger and cargo handling facilities.
Looking ahead, the air transport industry worldwide saw major challenges and development. Saudia, therefore, set out to equip itself to meet and overcome the challenges predicted for the 90s.
As Saudia entered 1988 it was clear that international competition was "hotting up" and the airline prepared to meet this competition head on, particularly since it was clear the industry worldwide was running into problems.
The cutover of the Saudia Automated Reservation System (SARS) from London to Jeddah in 1987 helped the airline to increase the effectiveness of its marketing. In 1988 the system was extended to additional international and domestic destinations, bringing tangible benefits to passengers.
At the same time the Automated lost Baggage Handling System (ALBAHAMAS) was expanded.
Saudia's North American service was also expanded in 1988 with the addition of Washington DC to the network, making it the carrier's second US destination after New York.
During the year further advances were made in both the catering and air cargo areas.
Saudia Catering, already one of the world's leading airline catering specialists and highly regarded internationally, added another accolade to the list when it won 'Frontier' magazine's "International Oscar" for best airline in flight sales.
In the same month, October, Saudia inaugurated a new Far East presence, Bangkok joined the cargo network.
The cargo saga continued into 1989 with the delivery of Saudia's first custom built pure freighter a B747-200F which immediately entered service on the Taipei route. At this point Saudia's cargo fleet comprised three aircrafts.
Saudia's passenger operations were not neglected either, and in March 1989 Saudia began services to Larnaca, Cyprus. This addition to the network was followed a few months later by Addis Ababa, which meant that Saudia was now serving 51 international destinations.
High on the list of priorities for Saudia at this point was passengers convenience enhancement, and with this goal in mind the airline extended even further its computerized reservation and advance check-in facilities.
This was also the year in which Saudia upgraded aspects of inflight services, including the provisions of advance on-board medical treatment to cope with all medical emergencies in the air.
Towards the end of the year, Saudia's Director General was re-elected to IATA's executive were appointed to the organization's traffic, financial and technical committees recognition indeed of the airline's emergence as a force in civil aviation, as well as of the quality of Saudia's management expertise.
At the outset of 1990 Saudia prepared itself to increase its marketing activity with further network expansion this time with the addition of two new domestic destinations Wadi Al-Dawaser and Qaisumah, making a total of 25.
With the growing importance of the freight market to a modern airline's fortunes, Saudia in 1990 extended the Taipei freight operation to Tokyo by means of a weekly service, with immediate benefits in terms of results.
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