Home ›› 28 Feb 2023 ›› Corporate
Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAUDIA), the national flag carrier of Saudi Arabia, has announced the launch of a new service that provides guests with even easier access to the kingdom through a digital integration system that links transit visas with flight tickets.
The new service named ‘Your Ticket Your Visa’, will allow guests to stay in the kingdom for up to 96 hours, during which they can travel around the kingdom and perform Umrah, according to a press statement.
The service, first of its kind, has been introduced in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, Pilgrims Service Program, and Saudi Tourism Authority, and covers all international airports in Saudi Arabia
According to local media reports, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs introduced the visa in order to boost tourism – part of the Vision 2030 strategy.
The service will also be available through Flynas, the kingdom’s first budget airline.
This is the latest in a raft of visa reforms in Saudi Arabia, most recently with the introduction of visa-on-arrival for certain passport holders in September 2022, reports Al Arabiya.
According to the SAUDIA press statement, the digital integration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs facilitates the issuing of the transit visa and links it to the flight ticket within three minutes.
Captain Ibrahim Koshy, CEO of SAUDIA, said, “The launch of this innovative and seamless stopover visa is the first-of-its-kind in the aviation industry and a significant milestone in our digital transformation programme.
“It is a testament to SAUDIA’s commitment to supporting the Kingdom’s strategic goal of reaching 100 million visits by 2030 and we are confident it will positively impact the growing number of transit passengers while enhancing our position as a hub that connects east and west.
The new service will also encourage passengers to perform Umrah, visit key destinations and attend events and Saudi seasons.”
The launch of the service comes in line with Saudia’s commitment to promoting King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah and strengthening its role in the region by configuring the airline’s flights coming from the east and departing to the west. It will facilitate travel procedures by collaborating with the Jeddah Airports Company, and coordinating with the Saudi Tourism Authority to provide incentive packages for those wishing to benefit from the “Your Ticket Your Visa” service.
The new service is part of the digital services provided by SAUDIA via its website and smart applications, which are constantly evolving to facilitate and simplify travel procedures and make a shift in the after-sales services.
Established in 1945, SAUDIA is one of the Middle East’s largest airlines and a member of the International Air Transport Assiociation (IATA) and the Arab Air Carriers Organization (AACO). Besides, it has been one of the 19 member airlines of the SkyTeam alliance since 2012.
Recently, the airline was ranked a Global Five-Star Major Airline by the Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX). The carrier was also awarded the Diamond status by APEX Health Safety.
