Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), has decided to open the Kingdom’s airspace for all air carriers that meet the requirements of the Authority for overflying.
The authority explained that the decision is in line with the framework of the country’s keenness to fulfill its obligations under the Chicago Convention of 1944.
The Chicago Convention of 1944 stipulates non-discrimination between civil aircrafts used in international air navigation, and to complement the efforts aimed at consolidating the Kingdom’s position as a global hub connecting three continents and to enhance international air connectivity, GACA added in a statement.
In the short, this will certainly be beneficial for airlines operating tricky long-haul routes between Asia and Israel. Not least El AI, the flagship carrier of Israel which, until this point, has had to take long detours around Saudi Arabian airspace had added to flight times and increased fuel wastage on some services to and from Israel.
Direct flights are now going to be possible between Riyadh (RUH) and Tel Aviv (TLV), and also marks a major shift in relations between the two countries and shows promising signs of a more harmonized the Middle East.
US President Mr. Joe Biden welcomed the decision who is due to visit the kingdom with the aim of smoothing relations with the Gulf state amid a turbulent global oil market, White House National Security Adviser Mr. Jake Sullivan said.
