Saudi Arabia: Compensation up to 200% of airfare for flight delay, cancellation

Riyadh: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) has announced new passenger rights protection regulations, for passengers affected by airline or airport disruptions. The new regulations will come into force from Sunday, September 3.

The regulations include every stage of the air travel journey, covering ticketing, in-flight services, baggage handling, and catering to passengers with special needs, including those with reduced mobility.

The new regulations are designed to create a better passenger experience and support the growth goals of the Kingdom’s broader aviation sector.

New rules for Saudi airlines

• Passengers will be entitled to compensation of up to 150-200 percent of the value of their ticket in cases such as flight delays, cancellations, overbooking and unexpected stopovers.

• Lost or damaged luggage may result in compensation of approximately Saudi Riyals 6,568 (Rs 1,44,422).

• The regulations also provide for Haj and Umrah charter flights. The regulation allows passengers to request the termination of the contract with the airline if the flight is delayed for a period of more than 2 hours.

“These changes reflect GACA’s focus on putting the passenger first, by strengthening regulations that secure better service quality for passengers,” Eng. Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al Dahmash, the Vice President of GACA for Quality and Passenger Experience, said in a statement.

“The regulations cover new ground in supporting passengers affected by travel disruptions and support the Kingdom’s broader Saudi Aviation Strategy growth agenda,” he added.

The new initiative aims to enable the Kingdom’s aviation sector requirements to increase passenger numbers and support the 2030 goals.

The Saudi Arabian aviation ecosystem aims to become the top aviation sector in the Middle East by 2030 as part of the Saudi aviation strategy and the kingdom’s Vision 2030.