“These customer-care centers will be manned by well-trained staff to handle various problems such as lost baggage, cancellation of bookings, and flight delays,” Al-Ajhar said while addressing a press conference at Prince Sultan Aviation Academy with Omar Al-Jefri, executive vice president joint services.
Al-Ajhar also spoke about Saudia’s efforts to provide intensive training in customer care to 1,000 frontline employees, adding that it would bring about a dramatic improvement in services.
The frontline staff who cannot meet international criteria in handling customers would be shifted to other departments.
Al-Ajhar denied press reports that the national carrier had wasted SR5 billion on petty expenses and said the amount was spent on advertising, fuel and renting aircraft during peak seasons, among others. He said the organization was ready to disclose all details about its expenditures.
Saudia has received 48 of 88 new Airbus and Boeing planes it had ordered two years ago. “The new planes will strengthen the airline’s ability to compete with regional and international airline companies and operate flights to new destinations. We have plans to increase flights to the US, India and Canada.”
Al-Jefri refuted press reports that the airline had blacklisted some Saudi pilots. “We don’t have any blacklist. We select pilots on the basis of internationally accepted standards in order to ensure the safety of passengers,” he added.
Capt. Talal Ageel, CEO of the academy, explained his organization’s efforts to train the national cadre to meet Saudia’s manpower requirements.
“We have achieved more than 50 years of experience in the field and we apply the global best practices,” he said, adding that the academy is equipped with advanced facilities including simulators for training pilots for different aircraft.
He said about 90 percent of Saudia pilots and assistant pilots are Saudis. Within two years all pilots of the airline would be Saudi, he added. The academy has plans to train 420 new pilots within seven years.
