The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) has issued an index for the classification of air carriers and airports based on the number of complaints filed to GACA by passengers during the month of May 2021. GACA revealed that the total number of complaints filed by passengers on air carriers during May, amounted to 285 complaints, compared to the same month of last year 2020, in which complaints reached 165. According to the index, Saudi Arabian Airlines came as the least number of complaints by airlines, at a rate of four complaints per 100,000 passengers and an in time complaint handling rate that reached 77% for May. Flynas came in second with 13 complaints per 100,000 passengers during the same period and an in time complaint handling rate of 90%. Meanwhile, flyadeal came in third, with 37 complaints per 100,000 passengers, with a complaint handling rate of 50%. Most of the complaints for May were tickets refund, then flight cancellation, followed by flight delays. GACA pointed out that the index for rating airports during May indicated that King Fahd International Airport in Dammam had the lowest complaints filed to GACA, with two complaints per 100,000 passengers and a timely complaint processing rate of 67%, while Abha Airport came in second with two complaints per 100,000 passengers that were submitted to the airport and 100% complaint handling rate. Najran International Airport ranked third with three complaints per 100,000 passengers, with a complaint handling rate of 100%. Meanwhile, the following airports, respectively, had the lowest complaints per 100,000 passengers at each of King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah, King Saud Airport in Al Baha, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Jazan, Taif International Airport, Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Tabuk, Prince Abdul Mohsen bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Yanbu, King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, Sharurah Airport, Qaisumah Airport, Bisha Airport and Al-Ahsa International Airport. GACA stated that the issuance of the monthly report for the classification of air carriers and airports, in terms of complaints filed to the authority, aims to provide passengers with information on the performance of air carriers and airports in resolving their customers' complaints to enable travelers to choose the appropriate service provider. This is in addition to enhancing the transparency and demonstrating GACA's credibility and keenness on passengers' complaints, and stimulating fair competition between air carriers and airports to develop and improve the quality of services provided to passengers.
