More Saudi youth are being trained as flight attendants and ground crews to fill up increasing job opportunities in the aviation sector. “A continuing training program for young Saudis who are interested to make a career in the aviation sector is a thrust that Sama Airlines has embarked,” said Naif Abu-Saida, Sama Airlines public relations manager, The airline graduated recently 27 flight attendants, 70% of them young male Saudis, and 96 ground crews, 55% of them Saudis. Most of the graduates trained by Sama Airlines are employed by the airline itself, according to Abu-Saida. More than 96% of Sama Airlines' ground and guest services are now Saudis as a result of the airline continuing training program. The training is held at the King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, the home-based of Sama Airlines. Mark Breen, Sama Airline chief operation officer, speaking during the graduation of the latest batches of attendants, and ground crews, said the airline is committed to support the Kingdom's aviation sector by investing heavily in creating new job opportunities and in training high quality professionals to develop this sector. He said the local aviation industry suffers a shortage of qualified manpower. Sama, the latest low-fare Saudi airlines, flies to 13 domestic destinations (Dammam, Riyadh, Jeddah, Madinah, Abha, Jizan, Hail, Arar, Jouf, Tabouk, Rafha, and Bisha) and 10 international destinations across the Middle East (Abu-Dhabi, Sharjah, Amman, Damascus, Latakia, Aleppo, Beirut, Alexandira, Asiut and Sharm el Sheikh). Sama Airlines mounted its first flight on March 18, 2007, departing from King Fahad International Airport in Dammam to King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah. A year after that inaugural flight, the airline now operates more than 300 weekly flights. Sama Airlines aims to be the most preferred low-fare airline in Middle East, according to Abu-Saida. The fares begin from SR 69.
