JEDDAH: A new training program is scheduled to be announced soon to improve services at the Kingdom's major airports, Engineer Khalid Al-Molhem, Director General of Saudi Arabian Airlines told Okaz/Saudi Gazette. He said they have trained 140 young people for front-line and support positions at the airport terminals. Al-Molhem called on passengers to use self-services at the airports for the purchase of air-tickets through SADAD and the Internet. As for pilot incentives, Al-Molhem said they are continuously reviewing incentives. He said this program stopped for 27 years from 1401 to 1428H (1981 to 2008). The first amendment to the incentives package was in 2008 (1428H). It was a distinctive amendment for pilots including salary increments and incentives. He said this amendment was undertaken after studying the market and competitors. “We studied the needs of Saudi Arabian Airlines and its future vision and on the basis of these studies, the incentives were laid down. The incentives have a lot of privileges for pilots including increased housing allowances and salaries so that the pilot does not stop at a certain grade. Also, his salary will increase when he is promoted from assistant pilot to pilot with an increase in incentives for flying at night. We have laid down better incentives for pilots who fly at the required rates,” Al-Molhem said. He confirmed that all the current incentives and salaries have not been touched. About medical insurance, Al-Molhem said the majority of Saudia employees outside Jeddah are covered by medical insurance. Those in Jeddah receive treatment at Health Services at the airline. If there is a need for hospitalization, this service is insured as Saudia has bought insurance coverage for all navigators, pilots, assistant pilots, hosts and hostesses in the Kingdom. These Saudia staff can get treatment at any of the health facilities mentioned in the insurance policy. Al-Molhem denied that procedures to accept pilots have been complicated. Everything was being done in conformity with international criteria. This includes the requirement that a pilot is fluent in English and has the capability to deal with all matters and situations. “We have Saudi youths who meet these requirements and a large number of applicants have passed the requirements.” English training is also provided. If anyone fails that person is given three chances to fulfill the requirements, he added. Al-Molhem said Saudia has numerous training programs, an internal scholarship program for assistant pilots, foreign scholarship programs for pilots and post-graduate studies for Saudia employees. An applicant undergoes 18 months of training before he is placed on the front-lines.
