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News |
SV CATERING SETS NEW RECORD IN 2005
SCHEDULED CARGO FLIGHTS TO BRUSSELS INCREASED
BAGGAGE HANDLING REACHES NEW LANDMARK
SV EASTERN PROVINCE NEW OFFICES READY
| © April 2006 "AHLAN WASAHLAN" MAGAZINE |
2 MILLION PASSENGERS TO FLY SV FOR MINOR PILGRIMAGE
Dr.
Khaled A. Ben-Bakr, Director General Saudi Arabian Airlines (SV)
has issued instructions to all the departments including the
Airline's domestic and international stations to do their utmost
in providing the best possible services to more than two million
'Umrah' pilgrims who are expected to fly to the Kingdom during
the forthcoming 'Umrah' season (Safar to Shawal 1427H).
"In previous years our success has been remarkable in providing very high class service to the Airline's 'Umrah' passengers from various parts of the world in accordance with well-studied and scientific plans that were made for both phases of arrival and departure,Ó Dr. Bakr said. He said this year's plan too is based on the Airline's underlying principle of distinguished services to the pilgrims at every point of contact.
Dr. Ben-Bakr mentioned a few factors that account for the increase in the number of 'Umrah' passengers flying SV. They include the Airline's concentration on markets with a rich potential for 'Umrah' pilgrims, the improvement in bilateral agreements reached with 'Umrah' organizations in various countries, the efficient utilization of the Airline's fleet, and high class services to the 'Umrah' pilgrims both at domestic and international stations.
Dr. Ben-Bakr said that in order to expand its share of the
Umrah market, the Airline, working closely with the Ministry of
Pilgrimage and the promoters of 'Umrah' services, has been
offering diversified and flexible 'Umrah' programs. As part of
this effort there are plans to implement the following measures
among others: operate direct flights to Prince Muhammad Ibn
Abdul Aziz airport in Madinah, issue boarding cards for arriving
and departing flights two months in advance, recruit crew that
could communicate with the 'UmrahÓ passengers in their own
language, serve special local dishes, and screen educational
films on 'Umrah' in coordination with the Ministry of Pilgrimage
and the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Da'wah and Guidance. 
| © April 2006 "AHLAN WASAHLAN" MAGAZINE |
SV CATERING SETS NEW RECORD IN 2005
Mr.
Shawgi Mushtaq , VP Catering announced that the total number of
meals provided by the Airline's Catering Division in 2005
reached 19,246,760, an increase of 9 percent over the previous
year's figures. SV Catering set another record in special
passengers' meal category by serving 7.3 percent more meals as
compared to the previous year. Furthermore, 16,113 flights of
other airlines were provided with 2,259,495 meals, which was an
increase of 12.4 percent over past year's figures.
Mr. Mushtaq said that the Airline is very proud of this achievement. He said good catering service is of profound importance to international airlines as they compete for new customers and markets. He highlighted the stringent standards and very strict specifications that govern food production for airlines. SV Catering has won the respect of other airlines and its own clientele because of the very high standard of its service. It has won numerous accolades for its service including the HACCP for food safety, ISO 9000/2000, and the quality control certificate from the Swiss Institute (SQF).
SV Catering has also been internationally acknowledged for its meals and services for the handicapped, the sick, the elderly and the blind.
SV Catering buys 80 percent of its
supplies used in the production of meals locally, and 20 percent
is procured from the foreign markets, while ensuring that the
supplies are of the highest standard and quality.
| © April 2006 "AHLAN WASAHLAN" MAGAZINE |
SCHEDULED CARGO FLIGHTS TO BRUSSELS INCREASED
Saudi
Arabian Airlines (SV) has increased the number of its scheduled
cargo flights to Brussels from eight to ten weekly as of March
2006. In announcing this measure, Mr. Fahd A. Hammad, VP Cargo
Sales & Services said that Brussels was a major cargo hub for SV
in Northern Europe. Other SV cargo centers are in London, Paris,
Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Madrid, Milan, Geneva, Rome, Vienna and
Copenhagen together with New York, Hong Kong and the Saudi
cities of Jeddah, Riyadh and Dammam.
Mr. Hammad said that SV freight network has been continuously expanding with new markets of Hong Kong, Shanghai, Dhaka and Addis Ababa joining it recently. The number of SV airfreight stations has gone up to eleven, he said. They are Brussels, New York, Houston, Hong Kong, Austin, Bangkok, Shanghai, Khartoum, Delhi, Dhaka and Addis Ababa in addition to the three domestic stations of Jeddah, Riyadh and Dammam. There are other domestic and international stations in 82 cities that provide airfreight services.
"Having carried more than 303,602,000 kilograms of cargo in 2005, SV is now looking forward to increasing its share of the world airfreight market further,Ó Mr. Hammad said. To achieve it the Airline is putting a very comprehensive plan together that will take into account the robust growth of the import/export market of the Kingdom.
SV transported 19 million kilograms of cargo from Brussels in the year 2005. This figure is expected to reach 25 million kilograms in 2006.
SV has a dedicated cargo fleet comprising of 4 MD11
freighters with a cargo carrying capacity of 70,670 kilograms
each and a Boeing 747 with a capacity of 90,000 kilograms. It
also uses the cargo capacity of its huge passenger fleet.
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BAGGAGE HANDLING REACHES NEW LANDMARK
Saudi
Arabian Airlines (SV) has reached a new landmark in baggage
handling and aircraft cleaning in 2005. Its three mainline
stations of Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam handled baggage with a
zero percent margin of error according to a statement from Mr.
Mahdi Haydar, Manager SV Ground Support Services. He gave credit
for this achievement to a combination of factors such as
intensive training of ground support personnel, their diligence
in following the safety rules most precisely and their
commitment to reach the Airline's service goals with a
professional penchant. This achievement assumes greater
significance and speaks volumes of SV's ground support personnel
when we compare it with the target of one error per every 5,000
units that was set for them.
Mr. Haydar said that 16,708,000 pieces of baggage were shipped on-board 141,084 domestic and international flights in 2005. He also said that punctuality in the case of departing flights was a perfect 100 percent.
He praised the honesty of the Airline's ground service
employees and the cabin crew. There were 5,000 instances of the
passengers leaving their cash and other valuables on-board the
aircraft upon arrival. He concluded by saying that 356,262 Saudi
Riyals, 82 pieces of gold and silver jewellery and 182 cellular
phones thus found were returned to their rightful claimants.
| © April 2006 "AHLAN WASAHLAN" MAGAZINE |
SV EASTERN PROVINCE NEW OFFICES READY
According
to a senior Saudi Arabian Airlines (SV) source, the Airline's
new offices in the Eastern Province are ready for occupancy.
Eng. Saud Hashmi, VP Corporate Services, said that the Airline's
offices will soon be shifting to the new premises that have been
sophistically designed and equipped with cutting edge equipment
to meet the needs of the Airline's local customers. The new
building has been constructed on a 4004 square meters plot of
land at King Abdul Aziz street (the highway between the cities
of Al-Khobar and Dammam).
The main sales office occupies the façade of the ground floor. Medical services that will cater to the Airline's staff members is behind it. Ample parking space for the Airline's customers and the employees is also available on the ground floor. The first floor provides accommodation to the reservations offices besides a place for prayer, while the second floor houses the departments of Finance, Marketing and Training. The third floor will be occupied by the Human Resources, Staff Services, Information Technology and Materials Management departments. The office of the Assistant VP Passenger Sales & Services will be on the fourth floor together with the Sales department and a public place for prayers.
Mr. Hashmi said that the new SV building with its hallmark
modern architecture has become a very prominent landmark in the
Eastern Province. It does justice to the Airline's pioneering
position in the service of the Saudi society, and is a befitting
tribute to the Eastern Province as a great emerging hub linking
the East with the West using world class facilities of the King
Fahd International Airport.
| © April 2006 "AHLAN WASAHLAN" MAGAZINE |