Saudi Arabian Airlines is the national passenger jet airlines serving Saudi Arabia and is the second-largest air carrier in the Middle East region. Called "The Jewel of the Middle East" by aircraft manufacturer Boeing, Saudi Arabia Airlines is a member of the Arab Air Carriers Organization, which promotes cooperation and safety standards among Arab airlines.
What would become Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAA) began in 1945 when U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt presented Saudi Arabian King Abdul Aziz with the gift of a twin-engine DC-3 passenger jet. This HZ-AAX Dakota aircraft proved so handy that King Aziz purchased two additional DC-3 aircraft just a few months later. These three jets were the beginning of Saudi Arabian Airlines, which now has one of the largest fleet of passenger jets in the world.
Nearly 150 jet aircraft are utilized by Saudi Arabian Airlines today. The fleet of wide-bodied passenger aircraft comprise such models as: the Boeing 747, one of the first wide-bodied jets ever produced; the Boeing 777, the world's largest twin-jet commercial aircraft; and the Airbus A300, used for short- and medium-range flights. Saudi Arabian Airlines also uses a fleet of cargo jets to move materials for commercial and business customers.
Based in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, SAA launches international and domestic flight schedules to more than 70 points across the Middle East, North America, Asia, Africa, and Europe. Major airport hubs for SAA in Saudi Arabia include: King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh; King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah; and King Fahd International Airport in Dammam. Another airport in Dhahran was used for many years, but it has since been converted into a military base.
Saudi Arabian Airlines began as the official state-run air carrier, with all operations, growth, and finances overseen by the Saudi government. It has grown since its inception to be the second-largest air carrier in the Middle East region, bested only by Emirate Airlines. The process of privatizing the airlines began in 2000 when Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud began studies into the idea of splitting the unwieldy company into separately-run units. These units were approved for privatization in 2007 by Saudi Arabia's Council of Ministers.
Accidents have been relatively rare for Saudi Arabian Airlines flights, although there have been some major incidents. The biggest loss of life came in 1996 when a SAA passenger jet collided in mid-air with an Air Kazakhstan jet, resulted in the deaths of all 349 passengers onboard. In August of 1980, a fire broke out in an L-1011 aircraft and killed all passengers onboard, and in December of that same year, a tire explosion caused a hole in the cabin that depressurized the aircraft and sucked two passengers from their seats. Other than these tragic accidents, most incidents on Saudi Arabian Airline flights have been relatively minor and did not result in any loss of life.
