Al-Jasser elected chairman, AACO Executive Committee

JEDDAH – The Arab Air Carriers Organization (AACO) recently elected Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) Director General Engineer Saleh Bin Nasser Al-Jasser as Chairman of its Executive Committee, the highest authority in the Organization. The Executive Committee comprises nine members who are chairmen of the boards of directors, directors general or chief executive officers (CEOs) of the AACO member airlines. The Executive Committee supervises AACO’s work strategy in general and joint ventures between member airlines in particular. Through its official website, AACO mentioned that Al-Jasser has been elected as chairman of the executive committee for three years in place of Akbar Al Baker, Group Chief Executive, Qatar Airways. This was during the AACO General Assembly meeting held in Casablanca recently to elect the chairman and members of the executive committee, discuss several subjects related to the air transport industry in the Arab world and relations with international organizations. AACO has 31 Arab airlines as members. They form over 99 percent of the total air transport capability in the Arab world. They own some 1,300 planes with an average age of seven years. This is about half the average age of air fleets in the world. AACO is functioning in a number of domains, most important of which is setting up and managing joint ventures between member airlines, representing Arab airlines together at the regional and global levels, defending their interests and providing statistics and research on international air transport in general and in the Arab world in particular. AACO also strives to raise the awareness level on air transport industry cases by organizing forums, conferences and training at its center. Al-Jasser is a member of the IATA Board of Governors, Skyteam International Alliance Board of Governors and chairman of ALACO executive committee. This underscores Saudi Arabian Airlines’ status among regional and global airlines, its pioneering role in the air transport industry and its commitment to implement the highest safety standards. Saudia has always been keen to develop its technologies and improve its services. — SG