The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) of Saudi Arabia and the Government of the United Kingdom have signed a One-Stop Security Agreement in London, aimed at enhancing the experience of transit passengers by streamlining security procedures at Saudi Arabia airports.
The agreement was signed by H.E. Abdulaziz Al-Duailej, President of GACA, and Dr. Rannia Leontaridi, Director General for Aviation, Maritime, and Security at the UK Department for Transport.
Under the agreement, passengers traveling from UK airports via Saudi Arabia will no longer be required to undergo security screening during transit. Security procedures completed at UK airports will be recognized at Saudi airports, allowing for faster connections and reduced transit times, while maintaining the highest international standards of aviation safety and security.
This milestone marks a strategic step in positioning Saudi Arabia as a global aviation hub, supporting the goals of the Saudi Aviation Strategy and Vision 2030 to enhance air connectivity and facilitate seamless international travel.
Mohammed Al-Fawzan, Executive Vice President for Aviation Security at GACA, noted that “This agreement reflects the high level of trust and alignment between the security frameworks of both countries,” said Mohammed Al-Fawzan, Executive Vice President for Aviation Security at GACA.
He added: “It is expected to enhance the passenger journey by reducing wait times and eliminating redundant security checks. It will also improve airport and airline efficiency by shortening turnaround times and strengthening operational coordination through the exchange of best practices and risk data.”
This initiative is part of GACA’s broader efforts to leverage technology and digital solutions to transform Saudi airports into world-class gateways, ensuring secure, efficient, and passenger centric operations.
About the General Authority for Civil Aviation (GACA) and Saudi Aviation Strategy:
The General Authority for Civil Aviation (GACA) is the national civil aviation regulator for Saudi Arabia. GACA is responsible for delivering world-leading regulatory services that enhance competition, safety, security and sustainability in civil aviation globally. GACA enables Saudi Arabia to lead the world through aviation, providing world-class regulations, ensuring compliance and performance, ensuring competition and growth and protecting passengers.
GACA coordinates the implementation of the Saudi Aviation Strategy. The Strategy is transforming the entire Saudi aviation ecosystem to become the number one aviation sector in the Middle East, enabled by Vision 2030 and in line with the Kingdom’s National Transport and Logistics Strategy. The Strategy is unlocking US$100 billion in private and government investment across the Kingdom’s airports, airlines, and aviation support services. The Strategy will extend Saudi Arabia’s connectivity to 250 destinations, triple annual passenger traffic, establish two global long-haul connecting hubs, and increase air cargo capacity.
Featured image credited to GACA
