The original MD90 phase out was scheduled to finish in 2014 due to the arrival rate of the A320, but once they accelerated the deliveries it also impacted the MD90 phase out. As for recruitment, I don't know the answer, but were the original recruitment figures based on the old or new phase out schedules? Or were they based on a 30 year old TWA crewing formula rather than the crewing levels required by the new rostering system?
upspeed, lots of females flying for Saudia through ACMI airlines, but none in the parent company.
Some may have missed this article yesterday..... its interesting....
Arab News - 13 March, 2010
Author: Tariq A. Al-Maeena
Skytrax, an aviation standards monitoring agency, has published its World Top 10 Airlines in 2009. Among the airlines surveyed were carriers from all continents of the globe.
The survey methodology, widely accepted by all leading airlines, was operated over an 8-month period (August 2008 to March 2009), during which time 16.2 million air travelers completed a wide range of survey nominations for the Airline of the Year title, along with regional and other award categories.
The survey data was collated from a variety of input sources, including passenger interviews completed online and via e-mail, business research group/travel panel interviews, corporate travel questionnaire/interviews, telephone interviews and selective passenger surveys.
The Gulf carriers such as Etihad and Qatar Airways, new entrants to the field, figured prominently in the list, led by Emirates who's been in the business slightly longer. These airlines figured prominently in the Top 10 by virtue of their consistent commitment to excellence. For the record, Emirates is 25 years old, Qatar Airways 17 years, and Etihad an airline barely 7 years in operation.
But what of the heavyweight in the region, Saudi Arabian Airlines, our national carrier with over 64 years in service? An airline seemingly destined for success by virtue of a budget generously provided by the government, an enviously guaranteed annual market in Haj and Umrah traffic, and a population size that would easily engulf the rest of the GCC several times over.
Sadly, there were no accolades for Saudia in the recent survey. Why, one wonders. Why should this carrier not have figured among the Top 30 if not the Top 10?
While it took a relatively short time, plenty of investment and lots of hard work for the featured GCC countries to build their modern aviation infrastructure, Saudia seems to have chosen to take several steps backward.
A privatization plan, initially announced in the early 1990s was allowed to meander aimlessly in the following years. Some would say this was part of a concerted plan to continue milking the corporate cow. And in the years of the preceding CEO at the helm of the airline, the organization took the form of a country club where entry to executive levels was granted not on one's professional abilities, but rather on how strong their connections were.
Key positions were staffed by individuals with very little knowledge of global aviation strategy or customer service, a primary indicator of the airline's health.
They were simply public servants who manipulated the organization's manuals of procedures and benefits to extract the most for themselves, at the cost to their customers. After all, money from the government was flowing in on an annual basis, and thus the "abhorrent" concept of privatization was relegated to an afterthought.
Accountability did not exist, and the organization was run much like what we have witnessed recently with our municipality in the wake of the floods. In the midst of such a corrosive corporate identity, some of the conscientious elements within the organization chose to either leave or not participate in such a caustic atmosphere.
As a result, morale sank to a noticeable low, leading to poor service across the organization.
Things haven't changed much since the new CEO took over a few years ago. The one noticeable effect was that there was a spurt of promotions at key levels of the very individuals who contributed to the downward slide. Reward for good work seems to be an alien culture in this airline.
Accountability still remains unfamiliar, while executives increase their perks at the expense of the paying public. Morale among the staff has sunk deeper today, and while some progress has been made on the privatization front, it certainly does not make up for an attractive investment.
Talk to any senior executive in this airline and he will readily sound off on how glorious his organization is. But talk to the staff and you hear a totally different story.
Or better yet, try your hand at the simple task of booking a seat, or having your flight leave on time.
Surveys such as those published by Skytrax are a valuable tool of letting airline professionals know their place among their peers, and strive to improve. With Saudia, such assessments are best relegated to the dustbin. After all, why kill the cash cow?
It's worth noting that this jounalist was Sr. Mgr-System Maintenance International Opns. Saudi Arabian Airlines before his retirement in 2008.
Mutt