Saudi Arabia: New airline compensation rules come into effect

Passenger rights have received a strong boost with Saudi Arabia’s new passenger protection regulations coming into force from November 20.

The regulatory changes, first announced by the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) in August, cover passenger journeys taken within and from Saudi Arabia.

These changes have been enforced to enable “a better travel experience, providing greater support at each stage of the passenger’s journey in the event of travel disruptions”, GACA said in a statement.

Passenger protection in place

According to the authority, the new rules comprise 30 provisions, covering every stage of the air travel journey: ticketing, boarding, in-flight services, baggage handling and catering to passengers with special needs, including those with reduced mobility.

Compensation provisions for flight delays, cancellations, overbooking and unexpected stopovers have been extended.

GACA has initiated the ‘Putting Passengers First’ consumer education campaign to educate passengers on their strengthened protections, and the importance of contacting their airline to use their rights in the event of a disruption.

If passengers don’t receive an adequate response in seven days from the airline, they can ask GACA to investigate their complaint.

Engineer Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al Dahmash, the vice president of GACA for Quality and Passenger Experience, said, “Passengers travelling in and from the kingdom have enhanced protections when they are affected by travel disruptions resulting from airline delays. GACA encourages passengers to learn about the strengthened passenger rights communicated through GACA’s ‘Putting Passengers First’ campaign, and to contact their airline when they face a disruption.

“These changes reflect GACA’s focus on putting the passenger first, through regulations that create better choice, value and service quality for passengers. By enabling a better travel experience, these regulations support the kingdom’s broader Saudi Aviation Strategy growth agenda.”