Okaz/Saudi Gazette

RIYADH — The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) released classification index of air transport service providers and airports based on the number of complaints filed by passengers to GACA during last April.

There were a total of 754 complaints filed by passengers against air carriers during April. Saudi Airlines came with the least complaints among airlines, with 16 complaints per 100,000 passengers, and the rate of processing complaints on time during the month reached 100 percent.

While Flynas came second with 28 complaints per 100,000 passengers, with a timely complaint handling rate of 93 percent. Flyadeal came third with 35 complaints per 100,000 passengers, and a timely complaint handling rate of 92 Percent. The most frequently reported complaint classifications for April were about baggage services, followed by tickets, and then flights.

GACA stated that the classification index of airport service providers for last April indicated that King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah had the lowest airports in terms of complaints filed with the authority, at a rate of two percent for every 100,000 passengers during April, in the index of international airports with more than six million passengers annually with 62 complaints, and a timely complaints handling rate of 90 percent.

Taif International Airport also stood among the airports with the least complaints filed with the authority, in the index of international airports with less than six million passengers per year, at a rate of one percent per 100,000 passengers with one complaint, and the rate of handling complaints in a timely manner reached 100.

In the index of domestic airports, Bisha airport was the airport with the least complaints lodged with the authority, at a rate of four percent for every 100,000 passengers, with one complaint, and the rate of handling complaints on time reached 100 percent.

The authority stated that the issuance of the monthly report of the air transport service providers and airports classification index, in terms of complaints filed with the authority, aims to provide passengers with information about the performance of air transport service providers and airports in resolving customers’ complaints.

This enables passengers to choose the appropriate service provider, in addition to enhancing transparency and credibility of GACA. This also shows the authority’s keenness on resolving passenger complaints, and stimulating fair competition between air transport service providers and airports to further improve the services.