executive officer qaid alotaibi said the special - · pdf filemobile: +966 501018811 email:...

SAUDI Ground Services (SGS) has opened a new counter at the arrival and departure lounges at King Abdulaziz International Airport( KAIA) in Jeddah for passengers with special needs.

Inaugurating the new counter, SGS Chief Executive Officer Qaid Alotaibi said the special

needs counter installed at KAIA is the first of it is kind in

SGS opens counter at KAIA for passengers with special needs

Message from the CEO

Saudi Arabia. It will offer services to passengers with special need or those who are on wheelchairs, he added.

Moreover, Alotaibi said “the SGS staff of the counter will be serv-ing those with special needs by calling them in advance before coming to the airport in order to make the necessary arrangements for them inside the airport and on board.”

He revealed that more counters will be opened in various local and regional airports to speed up and simplify arrangements for persons with special needs while traveling.

“SGS will continue improving its services to ensure that all pas-sengers can receive the services of the highest quality, Alotaibi added, emphasizing that “at the same time we are trying to make all possible efforts to meet the needs of travelers with disabilities.”

2 SGS NEWSLETTER • 2014

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SomeHighlights

Flights

6,480

Hajj Passengers

2,122,000

Extra staff

3,390

SGS NEWSLETTER • 2014 3

EGYPT Air has started its two-weekly flights between Jeddah and Hurghada, marked with its inaugural flight that took off from Jeddah on May 20, 2014 to Hurghada. On board in the maiden flight were Bandar bin Fahad Al-Fuhaid, presi-dent of the Arab Tourism Organization; Jamal Al

Jazar, General Manager of Egypt Air in Saudi Arabia; Mohamed Abdulhafiz, Regional Manager of Egypt Air in Saudi Arabia and a number of representatives of local travel agencies.

Commenting on the new route to Hurghada, Al Jazar said “we are delighted to be strengthening Egypt Air’s network and boosting our operations. The addition of Hurghada to our net-work supplements the airline’s product offering and increases customer convenience – which is our ultimate goal.”

The new route to Hurghada will be served 2 times weekly (Tuesday and Saturday), Al Jazar added. “This first flight

marks the start of two weekly flights to the capital of the Red Sea Riviera, which is a significant destination for us in terms of strengthening our connectivity with the Saudi tourists and enhancing bilateral ties between Egypt and Saudi Arabia.”

Moreover, Al Jazar disclosed that in addition to Jeddah route to Hurghada, Egypt Air will also launch soon new direct flights from Riyadh to Hurghada to activate tourism in Egypt in cooperation with the Arab Tourism Organization (ATO).

Mohammed Abdulhafiz, Egypt Air’s regional manager, added: “The addition of Hurghada as our latest destination will benefit tourists wishing to explore the amazing and relaxing resorts, as well as providing convenient and affordable flights for Saudis and expats living in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”

The first flight to Hurghada from Jeddah was received by Aviation Minister Hossam Kamel, Tourism Minister Hisham Zazo and Red Sea Governor Ahmed Abdallah.

Egypt Air’s inaugural flight from Jeddah to Hurghada

International Airport takes off

ACU Towable

GPU Towable

Push Back Narrow Body

Passenger Step

Transporter

Baggage Tractor

All Types Of Towbars

Container Dolly


SAUDI Ground Services (SGS) has invested heavily in the procurement of state of the art aviation ground handling equipment, com-pany manager for Equip-

ment & Spare Part Procurement, said.Speaking to SGS News, Bin Jahalan

said SGS has a commitment to always keep abreast with the latest ground han-dling equipment.

He said the equipment is purchased mainly from Europe and United States. “When it comes to purchasing equip-ment, we always focus to buy the state of the art equipment for aircraft which should be safe, environmental friendly and of course reliable, taking into ac-count the harsh climate in the King-dom,” he added. Equipment procured lately includes items like towbarless push back trucks, passenger stairs, high-loaders and medical lifts.

He further said the dynamic nature of the business and the strict demands of our customers stress the need for expan-sion and modern equipment.

“We have purchased equipment running into millions of riyals and we are going to procure more as technology advances. We are present in all local airports and we are bringing in more and more equipment daily to meet the demands of technology. There is no airport in Saudi Arabia today that any

SGS invests strongly in state of the art aviation equipment for safety of aircraft and personnel

big airline will operate or fly into that we cannot handle,” Bin Jahlan said.

We are committing a large percent-age of our budget buying equipment yearly, because of the new technology that is developing. We are aware of advancement in technology and so we are committed to providing the best to our customers.

“We would like to assure our cus-tomers that we are bringing the best and most reliable equipment for them,“ he said.

He noted that training for the person-nel who will handle the new equipment is considered as one of the main priori-ties for SGS.

Safety of the aircraft and the person-nel – be it a passenger or employee – is the prime concern of the management of SGS. Keeping this in mind, the manage-ment has endeavored to make massive investment in the procurement of ground support equipment which conform with the latest IATA and airlines’ specifica-tions, and in line with the latest advances in technology, thus resulting in making the entire fleet of GSE at the highest state of availability.

Similarly, the team of GSE operators is comprised of highly skilled person-nel with firm determination to adhere to safety procedures while delivering highly commendable services of interna-tional standards.

HI-Loader 70 S

Passenger Bus

Medical Lift

Conveyor Belt Orbiter


IN keeping with company initiative to further improve the services and products offered to its customers, Saudi Ground Services (SGS) re-cently organized a training course titled “Excellence in Customer

Services (ADAA)” in collaboration with Levenbert.

The three-day career development course held at the SGS Academy premises in Jeddah was attended by some 60 SGS staff at all levels, including executive man-agement and supervisors and customer ser-vice officers. The training included different subjects such as effective management and supervisory skills, advanced management skills, customer service and customer expe-rience management, effective communica-tion skills and body language. The program has also focused on linking excellence in customer service to organizational goals through various practical activities.

Speaking on the occasion, Iyad Al Rm-ily, an expert in employee development, training, and consulting said the course falls in line with SGS vision of continuous

improvement of the services and products offered to their customers.

“Such initiatives further aim to foster employees’ potential and to encourage them to develop their creative thought processes, improve the quality of service and make them capable of serving customers in a man-ner that exceeds industry standards,” he said.

The course provided training on communication skills with customers and on the latest methods adopted in ground handling sectors in this regard, as well as how to adapt to these developments.

The program was likewise designed to equip the SGS staff with the needed management, supervisory and communica-tion skills needed to achieve excellence in customer service.

Commenting on his participation, Nasir Al Hujaili from Al Madinah, said “I really think such training courses are informative and practical for us. Even though we are experienced employees, still we could learn more through some of the advanced methods.”

He suggested that such courses should

be shown on social channels such as You-Tube. Meanwhile, Mohamed Ba Yazeed, who has been working at King Abdulaziz Airport for the last 33 years as a supervi-sor, praised the benefit for every SGS employee of the extensive course. “It is an opportunity to improve our performance and our communication with our custom-ers to offer them a better service.”

He added “Levenbert course provides a course that is very extensive, informa-tive, practical and enjoyable.”

Wail Jameel, from the north terminal, pointed out that the comprehensive ap-proach of the training delivers impressive results. “Such courses and programs help employees improve their performance, and their good customer service inspires cus-tomer loyalty and enhances the reputation of the organization,” he added.

Levenbert’s development projects are now considered among the most-in-demand programs for leading customer-centric organizations that are looking to develop their services to international best practices and standards.

SGS holds holistic employee development course for par excellence service delivery

SAUDI Ground Services (SGS) has par-ticipated at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM-2014) in Dubai on May 5- 8 to promote its meet and assist service called “Ahlaan” that is available at the main airports in the Kingdom – Jed-

dah, Riyadh, Dammam and Madinah – helping arriving and departing passengers.

Ahlaan’s stand at this year’s ATM – the world’s third biggest travel industry show – attracted high levels of interest and widespread acclaim, with nu-merous dignitaries and VIP’s visiting the exhibition.

Notable visitors included Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, President of Saudi Commis-sion for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA).

SGS showcases Ahlaan service at ATM 2014


THE new King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jed-dah will open in the middle of 2016 with an increased capacity, according to of-ficials of General Authority

of Civil Aviation (GACA).The SR27 billion project is designed

to make KAIA one of the largest airports in the region. Covering an area of 690,000 square meters, the airport will have two new terminals for domestic and interna-tional passengers.

The project is being carried out in three stages, taking capacity to 30 million a year in stage one, 45 million in stage two, and then 80 million.

The 690,000 square meter new airport includes 5 airport lounges for first and business class passengers, 3 in the inter-national area and 2 in the domestic area. It also has an air side hotel, four airport lounges, retail areas, a mosque and a trans-port hub with a railway station. The airport has been designed to provide a contempo-rary and yet culturally sensitive gateway to Jeddah and the Holy City of Makkah and when completed, will handle 30 million passengers a year.

The new terminal buildings will have 46 gates, 25 of which are allocated for inter-national flights, 13 gates for domestic flights and further 8 for mixed purposes. Four gates will be able to handle giant aircraft like the A-380. Each gate will be equipped with two air bridges – meaning the terminal will have 94 moveable bridges in total.

This new project is currently the biggest in Jeddah. Infrastructure works

SR4 billion futuristic new King AbdulazizInternational Airport to open by mid-2016

on sewage, flood prevention, desalinated water and electricity will be completed once the other projects are completed.

More than 24,000 workers, engineers and supervisors from 100 leading con-struction companies are working around the clock.

GACA is currently providing training course to 100 Saudi engineers working at the project, offering them practical experience that helps them in operating the airport as well as training programs for other official bodies to enhance the level of services provided to travelers.

Expanding the airport was a necessity in light of the increasing number of visitors to Jeddah every year and the development of air travel services in the region and worldwide.

The project has reached the final stages of planning and design, and King Abdullah, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, has approved a budget of SR4 billion to build the futuristic new airport that meets the international standards.

The inspiration came from the local environment and cultural references as well as the historical art and architecture of Jeddah.

LUFTHANSA proved that it is the best among the best after clinching the “Best European Airline Serving the Middle East” title during the gala ceremony of the Business Traveler Middle East Awards 2014 held on the eve of the Arabian Travel Market 2014 in Dubai.

The magazine holds its prestigious awards based on inde-pendent polls from readers in the Middle East.

“To receive this award is a tremendous honor for us as it expresses the trust of our customers in our company, product and services. We are proud having a long history of operations in the Middle East since our first flight landed here in 1960,” said Karsten Zang, General Manager, UAE and Director Gulf and Pakistan.

“We have set ourselves a number of objectives for 2014 – it will be Lufthansa’s biggest service initiative in recent years, as well as installing the latest cabins in all classes of our aircraft, which is already proceeding apace. We will also be

demonstrating an even greater degree our qualities as a dedi-cated host with a keen understanding of service and hospital-ity,” added Zang.

“We thank Business Traveler Middle East for spearhead-ing this objective initiative which is helpful to like-minded travelers and those who are planning to go on an adventure. Our passengers in the Middle East know that Lufthansa offers more connections to Europe, North America and beyond than any other carrier,” Zang further said.

No stranger to awards, Lufthansa’s products enjoy a strong recognition worldwide. Not only has there been excellent feedback from top customers in the few months since it was introduced, it has also received major awards. Lufthansa’s First Class and its range of services were awarded 5 stars in the Skytrax star ranking, while the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences (AAHS) presented its International 5 Star Diamond Award to Europe’s leading airline.

Lufthansa scoops ‘Best European Airline in Middle East 2014’ award



DUBAI – flydubai plans to further increase its flight frequency in Saudi Arabia, according to flydubai’s CEO.

Speaking on the sidelines of Arabian Travel Market (ATM), CEO Ghaith Al Ghaith said the budget carrier has expanded into 11 destinations in Saudi Arabia in its move to offer more connec-

tivity to smaller cities in the Kingdom.Noting that its operations in the

Kingdom began in 2010, he said “fly-dubai now serves the following points in Saudi Arabia – Abha, Dammam, Ha’il, Hofuf, Gassim, Jeddah, Madi-nah, Riyadh, Tabuk, Taif ,Yanbu and recently Hofuf.”

He added “these services have strengthened the strong cultural and trade ties between our two nations and without the cooperation of Saudi au-thorities, things could have been differ-ent. We really appreciate their continu-ous support and we are honored to have the opportunity to further expand our network in Saudi Arabia.”

He further said “our operation in Saudi Arabia is performing very well and we are seeing an increase in demand from both Saudi nationals and expats.”

Budget airlines are increasing services between the UAE and Saudi Arabia, underscoring how low fares travel is in demand even among some of the world’s richest nations.

Meanwhile, Sudhir Sreedharan, Se-

nior Vice President Commercial (GCC, Subcontinent, Africa) for flydubai, said “Saudi Arabia has always been an important market for flydubai. As we are currently serving Saudi cities, we also look forward for more points and will be very happy to offer Saudi passengers convenient and reliable travel services and an unrivaled on-board experience.”

Commenting on the airline’s launch of Business Class service, Al Ghaith said: “We have received a great feedback from our customers and they enjoyed their experience with us. Passengers who got to be the first to sample the new ser-vice were very pleased with the spacious new cabin configuration, the variety of the menu and the high quality in-flight entertainment.”

Al Ghaith pointed out that flydubai would aim for 100 routes and 100 air-craft by 2020 to coincide with Dubai’s hosting of the World Expo.

Flydubai has a network of 74 des-tinations in 35 countries and 36 Boeing aircraft, with another 86 Boeing 737s on order and purchase rights for additional 25.

flydubai plans more flights to Saudi Arabia

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