GACA awards national charter air carrier tender to two consortiums

 Logo of General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA)

Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) announced awarding two National Charter Air Carrier tenders to alliances led by Jazeera Airways and BeOnd Aviation.

Both consortiums include foreign investment with Saudi majority ownership.

Charter flights are used to meet higher travel demand during peak seasons such as tourist seasons, the Hajj and Umrah, public holidays, sporting events, and international conferences, as well as to expand travel options and serve private group trips.

The authority said the announcement follows a public tender that received bids from multiple companies seeking to establish a national charter airline. The winning bids were selected after meeting all tendering criteria.

By 2030, the charter airline is expected to serve 48 domestic and international destinations, with a seating capacity of up to 6 million passengers, approximately 1,000 jobs, and a fleet of 21 aircraft.

Following the award, the winning companies will complete regulatory procedures to obtain the necessary economic and technical licenses before commencing operations.

GACA will continue to supervise the carriers’ financial and operational performance and monitor service quality once operations begin.