JEDDAH — British Airways' Middle East and Central Asia regional commercial manager Paolo De Renzis said the Saudi market continues to be very important for the airline and is one of the best performing markets for British Airways in the Middle East (ME) with huge potential for further growth. The flag carrier of the United Kingdom and its largest airline based on fleet size, aims to give its passengers the ‘best of British' hospitality by providing a smooth, discreet, attentive and seamless service from start to finish, said its commercial manager. “Since 1965 the Kingdom is strategically important to us and we have confirmed our commitment to our customers in Saudi Arabia with the launch of new aircraft, our superior First and Club world products and an increased capacity on the Riyadh route,” De Renzis noted. “The Middle East region as a whole is an extremely important area to British Airways and we are constantly reviewing and evaluating new destinations and our route network in order to ensure we are providing customers with the flights they want to the destinations they desire. Across the region, we have increased our capacity by 40 percent and we now operate more flights than ever to and from the Middle East,” he added. De Renzis said across the GCC, the airline operates a total of 63 flights each week from eight cities in six countries. British Airways has increased the number of flights from the Middle East to London Heathrow by 40 per cent in the last five years due to a continued high demand from customers in the region. Regarding their investments in Saudi Arabia and the region, De Renzis said last year, British Airways bolstered its commitment to Saudi Arabia with the introduction of a Boeing 777-200 on its Jeddah route. Additionally customers in Jeddah customers have benefitted from an increased flight schedule with daily flights available to British Airways' home at London Heathrow's Terminal 5 and excellent onward connections to North America and Europe. “With our customers' experience at the center of everything we do, we are investing £5 billion in products and services, including smarter cabins, elegant lounges, and new technologies to make life more comfortable in the air and on the ground for our customers across the world,” he said. He continued “The centerpiece of our £5 billion investment is our new aircraft, we are investing in new aircraft (12 Airbus A380s, 24 Boeing 787s, six 777-300 ERs, 10 Airbus A320s.” To strengthen their position in Saudi Arabia and the region, De Renzis made clear that customer satisfaction is their main priority, “Our entire passenger experience is what really differentiates us from other airlines. “I believe by listening to our customers and staying at the forefront of developments not only with aircraft and technology but with our on-ground services we continue to ensure the Best of British Hospitality for our customers.” As unrest accelerates in Middle East, he said “Our flight plans vary depending on a number of factors, but our highest and first priority is always the safety of our crew and customers. We would never fly in airspace unless we were satisfied that it was safe to do so.” On the issue of many low-cost airlines in Saudi Arabia, De Renzis believes that the Saudi market has tremendous potential for growth, Saudi Arabia has invested heavily in its aviation industry and infrastructure, and its domestic aviation similarly requires a strong commercial push. Effective competition allows an industry to develop and encourages airlines to constantly improve their products and services, which is of overall benefit to customers and raises the quality of the industry as a whole.” He noted that the budget carriers have had a growing presence across European and Western markets before their arrival in the Middle East. “Commercial airlines such as British Airways offer an excellent value proposition and benefits for travelers looking to fly our world traveler product or for passengers looking for a more premium offering,” he added. When asked about safety in air as the industry has witnessed recently air disasters, he said “air travel today is safer than ever before, with one million people airborne every single second. Pilots undergo a rigorous selection procedure and are the most highly trained and tested profession on earth. British Airways pilots are subjected to rigorous simulator tests every six months.” De Renzis pointed out that BA's passengers will enjoy more flying with BA as they are investing in new range of aircraft, he said “our customers are now enjoying flying in our eight Boeing 787s and eight Airbus A380s. In 2015 we will introduce another A380 and five 787s - in total we are expecting 20 new aircraft to join the British Airways fleet from 2015 until the end of 2017. The delivery of these exciting aircraft opens a new chapter in British Airways' history and they form the centerpiece of the £5 billion investment British Airways is making in new aircraft, smarter cabins, superb lounges and new technologies to make travel more comfortable in the air and on the ground.”
