Singapore and Saudi Arabia Civil Aviation Authorities Sign MOU and Upgrade Air Services Agreement to Strengthen Hub-to-Hub Collaboration

         On 19 February 2024, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) and the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) of Saudi Arabia signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and upgraded their bilateral Air Services Agreement (ASA) to strengthen collaboration between the two air hubs. The MOU and the upgraded ASA were signed by Mr Han Kok Juan, Director-General of CAAS, and H.E. Abdulaziz Al-Duailej, President of GACA, at the sidelines of the Changi Aviation Summit. 

2        The new CAAS-GACA MOU provides a platform for the two civil aviation authorities to conduct regular exchanges and broad-based technical cooperation in various areas, including civil aviation infrastructure, civil aviation operations and assets management, digitisation of passenger experience, safety, security and environmental protection and technology adoption. As part of this cooperation, CAAS and GACA will undertake expert visits to share experience and relevant scientific and technical information. CAAS and GACA will also work together to support training and provide opportunities for participation in projects, jointly organised seminars, conferences, workshops sessions and training courses.

3        The upgraded ASA allows air carriers from both countries to operate additional passenger services exercising 3rd and 4th freedom traffic rights, as well as additional passenger services exercising 5th freedom traffic rights with the removal of restrictions on routing, capacity or aircraft type. The upgrade to the ASA will take effect immediately. The ASA between Singapore and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was first signed in 1990. This is the fifth upgrade to the ASA since its signing.

4        Singapore and Saudi Arabia are major air hubs of their respective regions. Both CAAS and GACA have announced plans to grow their respective aviation sectors to meet rising demand for air traffic. Singapore is developing Changi Airport Terminal Five with the capacity to serve over 50 million passengers per annum in its initial phase. This will be a 60% increase of its current capacity of 90 million passengers per annum in Terminals One to Four combined. Saudi Arabia is growing its tourism and aviation sector through the Saudi Aviation Strategy, backed by US$100 billion in investments including the construction of the King Salman International Airport. The airport is projected to accommodate 120 million passengers per annum with capacity to grow to 185 million by 2050.

5        Mr Han Kok Juan, Director-General of CAAS said, “The CAAS-GACA MOU and upgraded ASA are significant in establishing hub-to-hub collaboration between the two major air hubs of the world and is testament to the growing ties between Singapore and Saudi Arabia. There is much that we can learn from each other. Through this partnership, we hope to increase exchanges and discuss ways by which we can leverage our respective growth strategies to bring our two regions closer together.”

6        H.E. Abdulaziz Al-Duailej, President of GACA said, “This agreement reinforces Singapore’s position as a strategic aviation partner of Saudi Arabia, where the Saudi Aviation Strategy is creating unprecedented opportunities for aviation companies. The agreement will enhance cooperation in the fields of safety, security, sustainability, logistics, and training, and enable the adoption of the latest technologies and best practices in aviation. I look forward to exchanging expertise, enhancing collaboration and creating investment opportunities with Singapore, supporting Saudi Arabia’s transformation into a global hub in line with Vision 2030.” 

About the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore
The mission of the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) is to grow a safe, vibrant air hub and civil aviation system, making a key contribution to Singapore's success. CAAS' roles are to oversee and promote safety in the aviation industry, develop the air hub and aviation industry, provide air navigation services, provide aviation training for human resource development, and contribute to the development of international civil aviation.

About the General Authority of Civil Aviation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
The Saudi Aviation Strategy is transforming the entire Saudi aviation ecosystem to become the number one aviation sector in the Middle East by 2030, enabled by Vision 2030 and in line with the Kingdom’s National Transport and Logistics Strategy.

The Strategy is unlocking US$100 billion in private and government investment across the Kingdom’s airports, airlines, and aviation support services. The Strategy will extend Saudi Arabia’s connectivity from 99 to more than 250 destinations across 29 airports, triple annual passenger traffic to 330 million, establish two global long-haul connecting hubs, and increase air cargo capacity to 4.5 million tons.

The Saudi Aviation Strategy is led by the Kingdom’s aviation regulator, the General Authority for Civil Aviation (GACA). GACA’s regulatory mission is to develop the air transport industry in accordance with the latest international standards, strengthen the position of the Kingdom as a globally influential player in civil aviation, and enforce the relevant rules, regulations, and procedures to ensure air transport safety and security.

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