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Private aviation is booming, asserts senior Saudia official

By By Shahid Ali Khan RIYADH -- The private aviation market with an annual growth rate of 20 percent is a booming business in Saudi Arabia, said Faisal Abdul Aziz Al-Saddik, Director of Sales and Marketing, Saudia Private Aviation, a subsidiary of Saudi Arabian Airlines .

He said the number of private jets in Saudi Arabia will in the near future be more than 800 from the existing 450.

"During the next three to four years, Saudi Arabia's private aviation market will have in excess of 800 jets, almost double the existing number," said Al-Saddik while speaking to the Saudi Gazette on the sidelines of the International Luxury Motor Show, that concluded here, Wednesday.

Saudia was one of the sponsors of the motor show.

Saudi Arabia's total share of the private aviation market in the Gulf region is 70 percent, he said, "which means Saudi Arabia is the biggest private aviation market, growing at a rate of 20 percent every year."

He said Saudia Private Aviation was established as a subsidiary of Saudi Arabian Airlines two years ago with a total investment of $250 million.

Al-Saddik said the company has acquired new aircraft including six Raytheon Hawker 400 XPs and four Falcon 7Xs, the long-haul business jets.

Saudia Private Aviation fleet includes six-to-16-passenger business jets that can fly between a range of two to 11 hours catering to regional and international traffic.

" Saudia 's Falcons have the ability to land at the shortest runways in any small city in the world," he said.

The company has been offering international standard service with high efficiency, largely because Saudia Private Aviation is part of mother company Saudi Arabian Airlines , which has 60 years experience in the civil aviation industry serving millions of people. "We have decided to serve the elite private aviation market and we have had a lot of success," said Al-Saddik

He said Saudia is leasing aircraft to people irrespective of nationality, race or nature of business. Saudia is offering quality service with a highly trained cabin crew, he added.

According to media reports, Saudi businessmen and companies own in excess of 60 private executive jets, indicating an upward trend in the private aviation market.

"Owning a private jet in Saudi Arabia is beginning to be viewed more as a necessity than a luxury by the country's wealthy entrepreneurs," Saad Wallan, Chairman of Wallan Aviation was quoted as saying recently.

In order to meet and better serve the demands of its fast-growing business in Saudi Arabia, Royal Jet, another company operating in the Kingdom's private aviation sector, has plans to add more aircraft to its fleet.

From its private terminals within the Kingdom, Arabasco and Royal Jet offer private jet charters for domestic and international travel from Saudi Arabia to cities, such as London and Moscow, as well as other business and leisure hubs in the region.

© The Saudi Gazette 2011