By Shahd Alhamdan
Saudi Gazette
SEATTLE — The second Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) Boeing 777-300ER airplane that includes 12 suites in the first class has arrived in the Kingdom on Thursday. The plane, which will be scheduled for long flights destinations, is one of the special aircraft that Boeing has produced and Saudia has acquired.
There is an electronic keyboard which will enable the passenger to control the seat. There is also space to store the personal belongings.
During a meeting with the Saudi media that was held in one of Boeing buildings in Seattle last week, it was mentioned that Boeing partnership with the Kingdom began on Feb. 14, 1945. The story began when US President Franklin D. Roosevelt presented a DC-3 Dakota airplane to King Abdulaziz Al-Saud. The DC-3 was utilized to carry passengers and cargo between the cities of Jeddah, Riyadh and Dhahran. King Abdul Aziz purchased two more DC-3s, launching the Kingdom’s aviation sector. The DC-3 airplane formed the foundation of Saudi Arabian Airlines. This airplane is one of the aircraft in Seattle’s Museum of Flight, the largest educational museum on flight and aviation in the world.
Several airplanes have been bought and used by the Kingdom after that. However, 747 SP was one of the aircraft that made a difference in the history of Saudi aviation, after traveling above 4 contents.
In February 1981, Saudi Arabian Airlines launched its first direct long flight from Jeddah to New York by Boeing 747 SP. It was the first scheduled longest flight by Saudia since it passed by four continents. Jazzae Al-Shammari was the captain of the plane and the journey took more than 12 hours, carrying 245 passengers.
Earlier this year, Saudi Arabian Airlines received around two Boeing B787-9 Dreamliner, considered to be the fastest growing and most in demand aircraft at the present time. The announced deal said Saudia will receive 6 B787-9 Dreamliner aircraft between 2016 and 2017. The B787-9 has 298 seats consisting of 24 for the first class and 274 for the hospitality class. It is well equipped to provide the maximum degree of comfort and entertainment for the passengers.
Aligning with the Kingdom’s National Transformation Plan, Saudia aims to have around 200 new airplanes by 2020, targets around 45 million passengers per year, and around 1,000 flights everyday.
