Saudi Arabian Airlines is planning to operate two flights per week to Prague during the high season – summer 2004 – probably effective on June 9.
The proposed departure days are Saturday and Wednesday: from Saudi Arabia (Jeddah, Riyadh) to Prague via Frankfurt onboard 777 with return on Thursday and Sunday. This is the first time in history that Saudi Arabian Airlines enters the Czech sky. This new destination answers an increasing demand from Saudi passengers who are attracted by the cultural city of Prague.
In an effort to constantly upgrade its services, Dr Khaled A. Ben-Bakr, director general of Saudi Arabian Airlines, recently inaugurated new self check-in terminals at King Abdulaziz International Airport (KAIA) in Jeddah. The director general said that these Arabic/English enabled terminals are part of the airline's continuous plan to improve its overall services and especially those in reservations. The terminals allow Saudi Arabian Airlines customers to self-issue their boarding passes and allocate their seats regardless of class variation.
This user-friendly machine makes it possible for customers to receive their boarding passes 24 hours prior to departure time. Most importantly, it has significantly reduced the number of passengers waiting in line for counter agent assistance. Initially, four self check-in terminals were allocated at KAIA. Others will follow soon at King Khaled International Airport in Riyadh, King Fahd International Airport in Dammam and Prince Mohammed Bin Abdulaziz Airport in Al-Madinah. Stations at other locations will be supplied with Self Check-In Terminals in accordance to a previously planned schedule.
Internationally, Saudi Arabian Airlines has also played an important role in the Kingdom's development. Today, with over 12 million passengers carried each year and an international network linking 50 cities on four continents, Saudi Arabian Airlines is one of the world's major airlines and ranks 15th among the 165 member airlines of the International Air Transport Association (IATA).