Why has our national airline failed to achieve a ranking?

Turki Al-Dakheel
Al-Riyadh newspaper

One of the most annoying things that can happen to a traveler is a flight delay. One may have scheduled several meetings and set some time aside for leisure and a flight delay can throw everything in disarray. For many, the inconvenience a flight delay can cause is grounds to swear off an airline.

Skytrax, which, according to Wikipedia, is a United Kingdom-based consultancy, the public face of Inflight Research Services, which has the largest airline and airport review and ranking site. The company conducted a 10-month survey on the quality of service provided by Saudi Arabian Airlines on the ground, mid-flight and on the level of customer satisfaction. Out of the 100 airlines Skytrax ranked, our national carrier ranked a dismal 87. Last year it placed 89th so, there is some progress!
Qatar Airways topped the list for the second year in a row, followed by South Korea’s Asiana Airlines and Singapore Airlines took 3rd place.

Skytrax ranks airlines based on evaluations of their front-line products and service quality, including airport lounges, passenger transfers, in-flight service and cabin amenities.

Saudi Arabian Airlines is still living on its past glory and reputation. If an airline wants to improve its fleet and services, then it needs to face reality.

The duty of taking care of passengers starts with smiling at them, making sure flights are clean and that all passengers are comfortable for the duration of the flight. What is most important is to be punctual and if a flight delay MUST occur, passengers need to be told the truth.

Jumping only two spots in the standings is not good for the reputation of a country like Saudi Arabia.