Saudia Airlines' Boeing 787 Dreamliner / Screen capture from Tripadvisor

Saudia Airlines’ Boeing 787 Dreamliner / Screen capture from Tripadvisor

By Ko Dong-hwan

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport is hinting that Saudi Arabia’s state-run air carrier may face penalties for violating Korean law by planning to cancel flights between Seoul and Riyadh without obtaining prior approval from the government, according to the ministry, Thursday.

The ministry’s decision follows Saudia Airlines’ announcement on June 13 that it will cancel flights between Incheon International Airport and King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, starting this Sunday.

The company’s notice read, “Dear guest, your flight no. XXX for reservation XXXXXXXXXX has been cancelled. We appreciate your understanding. For more information…”

A ministry official said the cancellation of trips without notifying the authority goes against Korea’s Aviation Business Act, adding that Saudia never gave official notification about the cancellation.

“For a foreign airline company to stop operating or change any of its routes using Korean airports, it needs approval from the Korean government,” an official at the ministry’s international air transport division said. “Saudia Airlines has halted the service even before fully indemnifying its customers and acquiring clearance from the ministry. We’re now closely looking into the matter but, depending on the outcome, it’s possible we can fine them up to 100 million won ($72,000).”

The ministry said that Saudia is currently working on compensating those who have been affected by the company’s cancellation of Incheon-Riyadh trips by providing alternative flights or refunds.

Those who had booked Incheon-Riyadh trips via Saudia have been inconvenienced by the company’s abrupt cancellation. Many of them complained that most of the alternative flights provided by the Saudi company involve at least one stopover and extend their time in the air.

Some of the upset customers have joined KakaoTalk group chat to discuss ways to counteract Saudia.

“My original plan was to get to Riyadh and then Europe,” one of the customers said. “But now, the Saudi airline wants me to go to Dubai first, and then Riyadh and Europe in order. They said I will also have to go through two stopovers on my way home. I don’t think I want to take that itinerary.”

There has been speculation that Saudia may have canceled the flights because of low sales of seats. According to the ministry, the company has flown 138 flights with over 41,000 seats during the first five months this year. It has sold less than 17,000 of these seats during the period.

Saudia stopped its route to Seoul in 1990 but resumed it in August 2022 using the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *