Latest news with #KingKhalidInternational
Argaam
25-05-2025
- Business
- Argaam
GACA issues April report on airport, airline punctuality
The General Authority for Civil Aviation (GACA) released its monthly report on the punctuality of Saudi airports and national carriers for April 2025. The report measures performance based on departures and arrivals occurring within 15 minutes of the scheduled time and complements GACA's other monthly assessments of service quality at airports and airlines. Among international airports with more than 15 million passengers annually, Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport ranked first with a 90% compliance rate. In the category of international airports with five to 15 million passengers annually, Dammam's King Fahd International Airport topped with 87% compliance. As for international airports with two to five million passengers per year, Abha International Airport led with a 91% compliance rate. NEOM Bay International Airport took first place in the fourth category of international airports with less than two million passengers annually, with a 95% compliance rate. Meanwhile, for domestic airports, Tarif Airport led with 100% compliance. The following table breaks down the on-time departure performance of Saudi airports in April 2025: Compliance with Departure Times Category Airport Current Month Previous Month Int'l Airports (>15 mln passengers annually) King Khalid International (Riyadh) 90% 93% King Abdulaziz International (Jeddah) 78% 84% Int'l Airports (5-15 mln passengers annually) King Fahd International (Dammam) 87% 93% Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport (Madinah) 72% 85% Int'l Airports (2-5 mln passengers annually) Abha International Airport 91% 95% King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Airport (Jizan) 90% 95% Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz International Airport (Tabuk) 83% 90% Int'l Airports (<2 mln passengers annually) Neom Bay International Airport 95% 95% Al-Ahsa International Airport 93% 84% Hail International Airport 92% 94% Najran International Airport 90% 92% Arar International Airport 90% 94% AlUla International Airport 89% 97% Al Qaisumah International Airport 87% 88% Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz International Airport Qassim) 86% 92% Al Jouf International Airport 84% 88% Taif International Airport 82% 88% Prince Abdulmohsen bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Yanbu 74% 81% Domestic Airports Tarif Airport 100% 100% Wadi Al-Dawasir Airport 100% 92% King Saud bin Abdulaziz Airport (Al-Baha) 99% 100% Bisha Airport 94% 88% Al-Qurayyat Airport 83% 93% Al-Dawadmi Airport 75% 100% Sharurah Airport 75% 96% Rafha Airport 73% 97% Saudi Airlines (Saudia) topped national carriers in terms of compliance to arrival and departure flights, with 89%. Meanwhile, flynas came in second with 86% for compliance to arrivals and 91% for departures. National Carriers' Compliance to Arrival/Departure Times Carrier Arrivals Departures Current Month Previous Month Current Month Previous Month Saudia 89% 95% 89% 94% flynas 86% 91% 91% 91% Flyadeal 87% 91% 91% 94% The report showed that the Riyadh-Abha route, Riyadh-Tabuk route, and Riyadh-Dammam route topped domestic routes in terms of compliance at 96%. Compliance of Top five Domestic Routes* Route Departure Compliance in Current Month Departure Compliance in Previous Month Riyadh to Abha 96% 98% Riyadh to Tabuk 96% 98% Riyadh to Dammam 96% 95% Jizan to Riyadh 95% 95% Riyadh to Jizan 95% 97% *Selected from the 20 busiest routes. Internationally, the Riyadh-Amman route topped with a 97% compliance rate, followed by the Riyadh-Dubai route (94%). Compliance of Top Five International Routes* Route Compliance of Departure Flights Current Month Previous Month Riyadh to Amman 97% 99% Riyadh to Bahrain 94% 96% Jeddah to Amman 94% 92% Riyadh to Dubai 93% 98% Riyadh to Kuwait 92% 93% *Selected from the 20 busiest routes. GACA indicated that cancelled flights are excluded when calculating the compliance rate. The actual time is calculated when the aircraft starts moving (push back from the stand) and when it stops moving (on stand with brakes on).
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Fighter jets, chandeliers, a Cybertruck: See the pomp of Trump's Middle East visit
Leaders in Saudi Arabia and Qatar pulled out the stops this week for President Donald Trump's multi-day tour to the Middle East, including decor, military displays and, yes, a Tesla Cybertruck. It is the first major foreign trip of Trump's second term, making a swing through the three wealthy Gulf nations of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Qatar, focusing on economic and investment deals in a region beset with geopolitical volatility. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump is making the trip for "commerce and cultural exchanges." Trump's Middle East visit: Personal diplomacy and family business intersect in Gulf tour Trump was greeted with elaborate pomp and ceremony in Saudi Arabia's capital on May 13, much like his first official visit in 2017. His arrival into Saudi airspace was flanked by an escort of F-15 fighter jets, landing at the King Khalid International Airport Royal Terminal to an awaiting lavender carpet lined by riders on Arabian horses, guards in regalia and a live band. He was greeted by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the de facto leader of the Gulf kingdom. Trump's visit included a coffee ceremony, participation in a Saudi-U.S. investment forum, a visit to a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an extravagant state dinner. His visit is a divergence from the tradition among modern U.S. presidents to visit Mexico or Canada during their first foreign trip, which comes after his administration levied tariffs against the neighboring nations early in his term. Trump's visit places economic deals at the fore, and kicked off the visit with the announcement of a $600 billion commitment from Saudi Arabia to invest in the U.S. and a $142 billion U.S. arms package for the oil-rich nation. The president also announced during his visit that the U.S. will lift long-standing sanctions on Syria and met with the nation's president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, urging him to normalize ties with Israel. What are the Abraham Accords? Trump says his 'fervent hope' is for Saudi Arabia to join Trump's second day began with a similarly carpet-lined arrival, this time red in color. His visit to the country comes amid backlash at home after the president signaled he may accept a Boeing 747 from the government of Qatar as the next presidential aircraft. The proposal has sparked questions about foreign influence on his administration and furthers concerns over Trump's close business ties with the region. Dig deeper: Trump in talks to accept luxury jet from Qatar's royal family Not to be outdone, Qatar's reception of the U.S. president featured its own fighter jet escort of Air Force One, and red Tesla Cybertrucks accompanied the motorcade on the ground. Kathryn Palmer is a national trending news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at kapalmer@ and on X @KathrynPlmr. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: The pomp of Trump's Middle East visit: Jets, soldiers, a Cybertruck
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
14-05-2025
- Business
- First Post
How much will it cost to convert Trump's luxury jet gift from Qatar to Air Force One?
The US administration's plan to use a luxury jet from Qatar's royal family, to be gifted to President Donald Trump, as Air Force One has rung alarm bells among intelligence experts and government officials. They say it would be a 'counterintelligence nightmare'. The time and cost involved to transform the plane have also raised questions read more US President Donald Trump arrives on Air Force One at King Khalid International Airport Royal Terminal in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 13, 2025. AP United States President Donald Trump's decision to accept a luxury jet from Qatar's royal family has raised eyebrows. Not only has it triggered corruption concerns, but also sparked major security worries. Trump's plan is to use this luxury Boeing 747-8 as the new Air Force One, replacing the current ageing Boeing 747-200 jumbo jets. He said in a recent social media post that the Department of Defense (DOD) would be receiving a 'GIFT, FREE OF CHARGE, of a 747 aircraft to replace the 40 year old Air Force One, temporarily.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD What security concerns has the Qatari jet raised? Let's take a closer look. Trump's Qatari jet gift sparks concerns The Trump administration will accept the free luxury jet from Qatar , raising concerns among intelligence experts and government officials. Republican Senator Ted Cruz said that the plane 'poses significant espionage and surveillance problems.' 'I'm not a fan of Qatar. I think they have a really disturbing pattern of funding theocratic lunatics who want to murder us, funding Hamas and Hezbollah. And that's a real problem,' Cruz said in an interview with CNBC. Democratic Senator Jack Reed, ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said accepting the luxury jet would pose 'immense counterintelligence risks by granting a foreign nation potential access to sensitive systems and communications.' 'This reckless disregard for national security and diplomatic propriety signals a dangerous willingness to barter American interests for personal gain,' Reed said in a statement Monday. 'It is an affront to the office of the presidency and a betrayal of the trust placed in any US leader to safeguard the nation's sovereignty.' Described as a 'palace in the sky,' the plane's estimated worth is $400 million. However, a source in the know told CNN the value of the Qatari aircraft is closer to $250 million. Qatari jet's transformation to cost millions Millions of dollars will have to be spent to convert the Qatari jet into Air Force One to be used by the American president. The plane will have to be stripped down to its frame to ensure it has the necessary communications and security equipment required on Air Force One. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'You would want to check the airplane out completely – strip it down, check for bugs, things like that, harden it to make sure nobody could hijack the electronics on the airplane … The ability for the president to command and control his military in the worst days, that takes a lot,' a retired senior military official familiar with Air Force One told CNN. As per the military official, it could take anywhere between months to two years to bring it on par with Air Force One. The US has been using two ageing Boeing 747-200 jumbo jets as Air Force One since 1990. The planes have everything that a president may require. US President Donald Trump boards Air Force One for travel back to Washington, DC, at Palm Beach International Airport, in West Palm Beach, Florida, US May 4, 2025. Reuters It is equipped with communications gear, intelligence files, and anti-missile defences. Its sophisticated communications system helps the US president to run the country from the plane without worrying about cyberattacks. 'It's designed to transport the president in a safe way and be able to withstand physical attacks, but to also ensure that the president maintains communication with military, his Cabinet, other government leaders in a safe and secure manner,' John Cohen, former acting Homeland Security official, was quoted as saying by ABC News. 'Any building or vehicle or airplane that the president is located is a high-value target for foreign intelligence services who want to gather as much information about the president.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The plane can remain in the air for several days due to its refuelling capabilities. It also hosts a small medical facility where doctors could perform surgery. These systems will probably need to be installed in the jet that Trump will receive from Qatar. Speaking to ABC News, Darrell Blocker, a former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) field operative, said the plane from Qatar would be a 'counterintelligence nightmare'. 'If you go back to almost anything that is given by a foreign government, there are regulations and restrictions and guidelines for ensuring that they're not being bugged, and a plane would be an absolute nightmare to be able to confirm that it's not. From an intelligence perspective, it's not the brightest move,' Blocker said. As per the CNN report, the US Air Force would mostly oversee the retrofitting of the Qatari aircraft to meet the security requirements. Several government agencies, including the Secret Service, CIA, National Security Agency, and White House Communications Agency, will also be involved. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'I don't see how you do this with an acceptable level of risk in a reasonable amount of time, if you can do it at all,' a former senior counterintelligence official said. Ali Al-Ansari, Qatar's Media Attaché to the United States, told Politico that using the luxury jet temporarily as Air Force One 'is currently under consideration between Qatar's Ministry of Defence and the US Department of Defence, but the matter remains under review by the respective legal departments, and no decision has been made.' Despite concerns, Trump has defended the donation from Qatar, saying only a 'stupid person' would not accept the gift. Terming it a 'very nice gesture', the US president said, 'I would never be one to turn down that kind of an offer. I mean, I could be a stupid person and say, 'No, we don't want a free, very expensive airplane.' But it was, I thought it was a great gesture.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD What about Boeing jets? Boeing has to replace the two ageing Air Force One jets. The delivery of the jets is likely to happen by 2027 for Trump's use, a top Air Force official told CNN. A Secret Service official said to the American broadcaster that the two 747-800s that Boeing will deliver were 'already built' when they were ordered. With inputs from agencies
