Jeddah, Saudi Arabia: Saudia, the national flag carrier of Saudi Arabia, has successfully operated flight SV 215 from Jeddah to Amsterdam as part of The Aviation Challenge 2024, an industry-wide initiative led by SkyTeam aimed at fostering innovation and advancing sustainability across the global aviation sector. This marks Saudia's third consecutive year participating in the challenge, further enhancing its extensive sustainability initiatives.

Saudia’s participation in The Aviation Challenge 2024 aligns with its strategic vision of promoting sustainability and operational excellence, in line with the objectives outlined in Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This commitment underscores the airline’s dedication to sustainable practices and its contribution to the global aviation industry's long-term goals.

Last year, Saudia received two prestigious awards in this global sustainability challenge: “Most Innovative Ground Operations” and “Best Employee Engagement and Collaboration.” The airline was also nominated as a finalist for the “Greatest Carbon Reduction” award for medium-haul flights. 

In line with its new sustainability strategy, Saudia’s approach to the challenge this year featured several initiatives aimed at enhancing the entire guest journey. These initiatives focused on both social and environmental sustainability, which are reflected in both the guest experience and operational efficiency.

These initiatives included fuel optimization, electric ground support equipment, sustainable onboard products, and improved waste management. To ensure economic sustainability, Saudia also prioritized locally sourced materials to boost local content.

Maryam Telmesani, Vice President of Sustainability at Saudia Group, commented: “Saudia’s approach to sustainability is holistic and balanced, reflecting our long-standing efforts in pioneering sustainable aviation. We aim to share success stories from the Kingdom with the world, integrating social, environmental, and economic factors while aligning with Saudi Vision 2030 and global sustainability standards. We are excited to continue leading the way in innovative practices that set new benchmarks in the industry.”

Saudia is set to host The Aviation Challenge Awards 2024, celebrating achievements across the industry. The Aviation Challenge, previously known as The Sustainable Flight Challenge, has been renamed to better reflect SkyTeam’s broader mission of creating a lasting industry-wide impact.

Submissions will be evaluated by a diverse panel of global sustainability and aviation experts, who will recognize airlines that best demonstrate the impact and scalability of their solutions.

About Saudia: 

Saudia (Saudia Airlines) is the national flag carrier of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Established in 1945, the company has grown to become one of the Middle East’s largest airlines. 

Saudia has invested significantly in upgrading its aircraft and currently operates one of the youngest fleets. The airline serves an extensive global route network covering around 100 destinations across four continents, including all 28 domestic airports in Saudi Arabia. 

A member of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the Arab Air Carriers Organization (AACO), Saudia has also been a member airline in SkyTeam, the second largest alliance, since 2012. 

Saudia was recently recognized as the World’s Most Improved Airline 2024 by Skytrax, marking the third time it has received this accolade, alongside 14 other distinguished awards. Saudia has also been awarded the "World Class Airline 2024" for the third consecutive year at The APEX Official Airline Ratings™️ awards. Additionally, it ranked top among global airlines for best on-time performance (OTP) according to a report by Cirium. 

For more information on Saudia, please visit www.saudia.com.