Arab News, Thursday, Apr 06, 2023 | Ramadan 15, 1444
Saudi aviation sector scores over 94% in ICAO’s security audit
Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabia has scored
94.4 percent in a security audit carried out by the International Civil Aviation
Organization, as the Kingdom continues to work toward improving its efficiency
in the sector.
The audit also revealed that the Kingdom managed
to secure the seventh rank among the Group of 20 countries in the aviation
security field.
ICAO carried out the exercise with the aim of
ensuring that its 193 member states are complying with the international
standards set for the field.
These audits do not cover airlines, airports or
other industry operators. According to the ICAO website, they
rather restrict their focus to the legislation, resources and other capacities
which state governments establish in order to effectively implement ICAO’s
Standards and Recommended Practices in each area.
The achievement is mainly attributed to the
Kingdom’s provision of the latest equipment and systems as well as applying the
highest possible security standards, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
During a ceremony, the President of the General
Authority of Civil Aviation Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al-Duailej explained that the
achievement of aviation security in the Kingdom comes among several achievements
accomplished by the aviation sector at the regional and international levels
which reflects the interest and support of the leadership.
The ceremony saw the participation of leaders of
the security sectors, government agencies, and several national firms.
Saudi civil aviation sector seeks to implement its
strategic plans in an attempt to achieve excellence in the services provided to
the traveler. It aims to obtain the highest evaluation rates at both the
national as well as international levels, Al-Duailej stressed.
GACA, on its part, brings out reports every month
on airport performance as part of the implementation of the strategic directions
aimed at enhancing the services given to travelers, raising their level, and
improving the traveler’s experience at Saudi Arabia’s airports.
In the monthly report for February, Saudi Arabia’s
King Khalid International Airport ranked first among the international airports
with more than 15 million passengers annually for scoring high on various
performance indicators including waiting times and security procedures.
The Riyadh-based airport claimed the top ranking
for achieving a compliance rate of 82 percent.
The aviation authority evaluates airport
performance on 14 crucial performance indicators, most notably waiting times for
passengers during check-in and security procedures, the time spent by the
traveler in front of the baggage track, passport and customs areas, criteria
related to people with disabilities, and several other criteria based on best
global practices.
King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah
ranked second with a compliance rate of 45 percent, the February report
revealed.
Last month, Saudi Arabia’s Air Navigation Services
Co. announced the launch of a new firm in a bid to drive up efficiency in the
Kingdom’s aviation sector.
The company, called Nera, will implement and
manage projects in the field of civil aviation and air navigation in Saudi
Arabia.