I don’t think it can describe qualifications properly. I’m sure you remember the guy from 747 classic who was asked to resign some 10 years ago after insisting to call FAA inspectors in JFK to inspect AIU after inbound crew hit taxi lights in Ostend. He passed his initial Saudia training with best recommendations. And later proved he was just plane dangerous. He was also famous by using his brother’s log book to show his qualifications.
Regarding the above mentioned person you better ask first officers who share the same cockpit with him...

Well, this is the only way, and this is where I got information from. Quite a few of them.
It’s always good to be in a good company:). I could be one of them. Have no idea what they think about me:)

Saudia aims low for a high return
 

“At present, [Saudia] flies close to 30 million travellers annually. By 2020, just three years from now, it is confident that figure will have grown by 50%, to 45 million, said Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser, the Saudi Arabian Airlines’ director-general.

“Those additional passengers will be carried by a rapidly expanding fleet, he explained at Airbus’ Finkenwerder assembly plant in Hamburg, Germany.

“Speaking as he accepted the first Airbus A320ceo for the group’s new low-cost carrier, Flyadeal, he noted that when Saudia started its ‘transformation plan’ in 2015, it operated 117 aircraft. By the end of 2020, that figure will have grown to 200. It received no fewer than 28 new aircraft in 2016 and plans to take a further 32 into its inventory this year.

The rest of the article can be found here:

Arabian Aerospace - Saudia aims low for a high return

Yeh right. He's dreaming :ugh:
Where does he expect to get the pilots, especially considering the 140 resignations these last few months; the contract changes (no bonus etc etc); forced re-basings and "hello..." there's a global pilot shortage on at the moment :}

I love this line.....

GE90

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4695/...8f4eb1f91d.jpg

OUCH
 

That’s expensive!

Its from AKN and appears to have happened last week.

Thank you Mutt. What on earth would cause damage like that? Maybe it ingested a mechanic's tool or something? Possibly a rock or some other form of substantial FOD? Anyways, it looks like a very expensive repair!

As it's a -200, I'm sure that they will just push into the dirt and leave it there.

Respect the Jet Driver !
 

Well said. And the way the pilots are being treated by the sadly incompetent HR and it's own flight operations department, it's not long before Saudia will have to ground a load of airplanes due lack of pilots to fly them. And sadly, by the time the pilots leave, Saudia will have such a bad name that it would fail to attract any new talent. And with expats as well as locals leaving, that would be the end of the end for SV.
To recover it has to start treating it's pilots with more respect and better conditions. Look at EK for example. They can pay in gold coins and pilots still won't join up. That's how bad a reputation can get !
As per a recent study conducted, EK had 28 airplanes grounded in end 2018 due pilot shortage. And SV already had 13 on ground.
Of course the reasons stated ere anything but pilot shortage :\ .

Saudi needs to pull up its stockings !
And start respecting its Jet Drivers...:cool:

Which aircraft? I don't see any of the present fleet grounded, just aircraft like the 777-200 and E170.

Cheesey Dick,

Are those 140 resignations you mentioned truly confirmed or did some rescind their resignations when HR were forced to increase the contract renewal tenure offers from six months to two years for everybody?

The grounded airplanes won't be for you to 'see'.
They would either be used as Christmas trees for temporary cannibalisation of parts or flights would simply be cancelled eg freighter 777 flights or then simply parked in Riyadh undergoing some 'major' check. Who is to ask.
Info is from a very well reputed international business house that specialises in studies and viabilities of major companies.

Make your own judgements.

Even the brand new 747/8 was grounded... It’s parked in Jed, covered in sand ! They say it’ll fly soon again

The 777F and 747-8F were parked years back for business decisions not for lack of crew.

140 expat departures are rumour. I personally, have not met one that has submitted a resignation. Of course some people might be holding their cards close to the chest.

15 KSA nationals have resigned for other local companies. I have met some of these fellows personally.

They have brought back retired pilots to fly 330.

Pretty dificult to hide an action like that when we are taxiing past the maintenance hangers literally every single day.

There is no area 51

"140 resignations..."
It's likely more now but is true. I heard it directly from HR and saw all the paperwork cluttering the desks to go with it. That was over a 3 month period back before Christmas when contracts where savaged. How many have changed their mind and stayed I don't know but every expat pilot I came across back then was either going or had gone... Saudi City was changing demographic very quickly & not for the better. Very few Malays now remain and Greeks. A lot of Egyptians are being enticed back home too.

P.s. Metro, have a look out behind the Royal Maintenance Hangar between 34C & 34R. That's full.

Chocks - Good point, I forgot about that spot. Will try and look next time through.

Looking at google earth, they appear to be E170's, A300's, 777's and maybe some L1011's, plus or two corporate jets