Saudia flies to over 100 destinations with its fleet of over 150 aircraft. The airline’s Airbus A320 family narrowbodies combine with its Airbus A330, Boeing 747, Boeing 777, and Boeing 787 Dreamliner widebodies to help the airline dominate Saudi air travel out of its headquarters in Jeddah. The King Abdulaziz International Airport-based company is owned by the Government of Saudi Arabia. Along with a robust domestic network, it serves numerous cities across the Middle East, North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa.
The flag carrier of Saudia Arabia has a rich history that began in 1945 following a gift to the country’s king from United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the form of a Douglas DC-3. Throughout the following seven decades, what was formerly Saudi Arabian Airlines grew its fleet robustly as its network expanded. the Boeing 720, Boeing 707, Boeing 737, DC-6, DC-9, and Fokker F-28 all helped the airline grow in the second half of the 20th century. Widebodies such as the Airbus A300 and Boeing 747 also assisted the firm’s transition as passenger activity increased. Heading into the new century, the 777, MD-90, and MD-11 proved valuable as the airline expanded internationally. Saudia is now one of the largest airlines in the Middle East, alongside Emirates and Qatar Airways.
A symbol of diplomacy
Saudia’s story started after President Roosevelt met King Abdul Aziz aboard a US Navy destroyer in the Suez Canal on February 14th, 1945. With this relationship established, the US head of state gifted a Douglas C-47, the military version of the DC-3, to the king. The carrier was set up the following year as an operating agency of the Ministry of Defense.
In 1947, scheduled services began after the acquisition of another four DC-3 units. Early flights with these aircraft were to Riyadh, Jeddah Dhahran, Cairo, and Damascus, with the planes transporting both passengers and freight. The first scheduled domestic operation took off on March 14th.
At the end of the 1940s, the airline took on five Bristol 170s. This type helped the airline grow during the following decade, with the Douglas DC-4 and Convair 340 bringing further prospects. Notably, the latter was the airline’s first pressurized aircraft.
The airline became only the fourth airline in the Middle East to deploy a jet plane amid the arrival of the Boeing 720 in 1962. The airline also became a fully independent company amid a declaration signed by King Faisal on February 19th, 1963. The Boeing 707 and DC-6 helped the airline develop as the 1960s continued, with flights to the likes of Tehran, Mumbai, Frankfurt, and London beginning.
Further growth
The 1970s got off to a strong start as a data processing center was inaugurated in Jeddah. The carrier launched a new route to Rome from here along with the first nonstop all-cargo service between Saudi Arabia and Europe. In 1972, the airline was reborn with a new livery and took the name Saudia.
“By this time, the airline was flying to 49 destinations on three continents. This year, the airline received its first five 737-200s which replaced the DC-9s, Convair 340s and DC-3s, making its fleet the most modern in the Middle East, with two B-707s, two B-720s and five 737-200s, which would later grow to a total of twenty. It was now possible to link 20 cities in the Kingdom,”
“SAUDIA carried one million scheduled passengers for the first time [In 1973]. Special flights planned for the mass movement of teachers [In 1974]. New routes opened to Paris and Muscat, plus a direct Medina-Karachi route. Two wide-bodied Tri-Stars ordered from Lockheed. These 214-seat aircraft would grow to a total of twenty. In the same year, Saudia started flights to IST, BEY, DAM, AMM, CAI, from Tabuk.”
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Widebody prospects
The airline adopted two commercial aviation staples in the 1970s. The Boeing 737 and Boeing 747 both entered service this decade, opening up a plethora of new services as new passenger segments emerged.
Interestingly, the carrier began joint operations with Pan American on a route between Dahran and New York, deploying Boeing 747-SPs on this service. Before the decade was over, the Lockheed L-1011 TriStar became part of the family.
Saudia started leasing Airbus planes when the 1980s arrived. Then, it received the first of its own A300s in 1984. The carrier would fly with 37 units of the type.
The airline continued its global rise into the new century. It became a SkyTeam member in 2012, joining some of the world’s largest airlines in one of the three major global alliances. During this year, it received 64 new Airbus, and Boeing jets before the 787-9 joined in 2015.
Saudia is undoubtedly looking to continue expanding with its diverse fleet into this next chapter. Altogether, the operator has been a crucial asset to the Kingdom of Saudia Arabia for over there quarters of a century, and it all started from a gift from the leadership of a long-term ally of the country.
What are your thoughts about the history of Saudia? What do you make of the airline’s journey over the years since it first received the initial DC-3 Dakota from President Roosevelt? Also, how do you think it will fare in this next stage? Let us know what you think of the carrier and its operations in the comment section.
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