Saudi Arabia licenses pilgrimage airline

[Pieter C. 5]

Saudi Arabia Licenses Pilgrimage Airline

 

October 5, 2009

 

Saudi-based pilgrimage airline Alwafeer Air has obtained an operating license and is expected to start flying during the haj season in November, an official said on Sunday.

 

The Jeddah-based airline is the kingdom's fourth after state-owned Saudi Arabian Airlines and low budget carriers Nas Air and Sama.

 

"Today they received their Air Operation Certificate (AOC) but they will not start yet," said Abdulhalim Felemban, supervisor of economic planning at the General Authority of Civil Aviation.

 

"It will take time but it will definitely operate in haj," he said.

 

The charter airline will focus on flying pilgrims to Saudi Arabia, home to Islam's holiest sites in Mecca and Madina, starting with three Boeing 747 aircraft, and may expand its fleet to eight planes within three years.

 

More than two million pilgrims from around the world flock to Mecca to perform the annual haj. Umra, the minor pilgrimage, can be done throughout the year.

 

Alwafeer aims to attract "the largest share of the haj and umra transportation", the carrier said on its website without giving details.

 

(Reuters)

[Mohd Azizul Ramli 2]

Interesting. Some points to share:

• It was mentioned that Al Wafeer operates 3 B744s. Are all 3 ex-MH? It was confirmed by the Anjung Tinjau subforum that 2 of the B744s are ex-MH. Will the remaining 5 B744s that they intended to lease within 3 years will come from MH as well?
  
• Al Wafeer is a charter airline. I wonder how is their arrangement with the Saudi's Ministry of Hajj because as we all know, SV has exclusive right to ferry 50% of all pilgrimage from all countries involved (?) in the entire world. How did Al Wafeer managed to get a slice of the very lucrative business away from SV? Does SV ok about it, do they compromise with regards to this matter?
  
• Will we see MAS Charter, SV and Al Wafeer transporting Malaysian pilgrimages during this upcoming hajj season?
  

Edited October 5, 2009 by Mohd Azizul Ramli

[Mohd Azizul Ramli 2]

From a recent Malaysian gathering that I attended, I found out the following information:

 

Quite a number of Malaysian (possibly from MH) involved in Al Wafeer's operation.

- Dato Capt. Zulkifly Zainal Abidin DPSK PSK MBA - Authorised examiner B747-400

- Capt. Sharir Sidek - B747-400 Training Captain

- Capt. Ahmad - B747-400 (possibly a pilot)

- and no less than 12 Malaysian sterwardesses, a few of whom spotting a daring blonde hairdo, which shocked a few attendees at the event.

 

After conducting a brief investigation, I found out that they are all now based in a hotel in Al Ruwais in downtown Jeddah, waiting for their first charter operation. The cabin crews also consist of a few Indonesians as well.

[Mohd Azizul Ramli 2]

From the information in Anjung Tinjau subforum, the 3 Boeing 747-400 that MH (or technically Penerbangan Malaysia Berhad, PMB) leased out to Al Wafeer are:

 

- 9M-MPI (Tioman) to be HZ-AWA1

- 9M-MPJ (Labuan) to be HZ-AWA2

- 9M-MPD (Seremban - ex Hibiscus) to be HZ-AWA3

 

Should the remaining 5 B744s that Al Wafeer planned to operate in the future will come from MH/PMB as well, we don't have to worry about MH's ageing B744s not being able to find a better place post retirement.

 

>>

 

[Sanjay Thaker 0]

any info on the seating config?

[Nik H. 3]

There's an old saying.... Sell Fish, but don't teach them how to fish, coz you may end up buying fish from them.....

 

IF only.............SIGH.....

[Tony 1]

any info on the seating config?

 

All economy, I guess?

 

There's an old saying.... Sell Fish, but don't teach them how to fish, coz you may end up buying fish from them.....

 

IF only.............SIGH.....

 

That is SO true...

[KK Lee 5]

There's an old saying.... Sell Fish, but don't teach them how to fish, coz you may end up buying fish from them.....

 

IF only.............SIGH.....

 

There are always some traders more eager than others and don’t think of longer term future

 

[Mohd Azizul Ramli 2]

any info on the seating config?

I think Al Wafeer will inherit whatever MH left on the aircrafts; colourful EYCL seats together with its PTVs, the cocoon JCL seats and also the FCL seats. I could be wrong though.

 

There's an old saying.... Sell Fish, but don't teach them how to fish, coz you may end up buying fish from them.....

 

IF only.............SIGH.....

That is actually an unexpected reaction (at least to me) from the big boss of MAS Charter!

[Mohd Azizul Ramli 2]

I would like to share my thoughts, following Capt. Nik's comment above:

• It seems to me MH's involvement in Al Wafeer's operation is against MAS Charter's will. Understandably, because Al Wafeer will become a direct rival to MAS Charter's hajj operation.
  
• Al Wafeer seems like a good set up. Check out their website - http://www.alwafeerair.com/ The website now allows them to get a query/request etc for booking of hajj and umrah charters from everywhere in the world, simply by the interested parties completing the 'booking engine' there.
  
• MAS Charter has been around for a decade (?) but still don't have a website like that, which I think now will fracture its competitiveness. This could be because of MH's strict terms and conditions imposed on MAS Charters, not enough support to let MAS Charter blooms in full capacity and such.
  
• The hajj charter has always been pro-Saudi Arabia and pro-SV since the very beginning, otherwise the rules that 50% of the total number of pilgrims from a particular country to be ferried by SV won't be implemented in the first place. So, although there were many companies tried to enter the business previously (remember Global Air or something along the line), all failed because I think they did not get the necessary clearances from the Saudi authorities to operate legally. On the ther hand, Al Wafeer is different, because the company is Saudi by registration, meaning it will get unconditional supports from the relevant authorities here. And I think, considering how MH and Malaysians (out of other Muslim races and airlines from the entire universe) get to be involved with Al Wafeer's initial set up, it is something that we could be proud of, right? I know the Saudis have always fancy Malaysians.
  
• What threat does Al Wafeer poses to MAS Charter? In Malaysia's case, is 50% of the remaining market share left by SV is now will have to be grabbed by MAS Charter and Al Wafeer? But MAS Charter has already a firm 5 years contract to ferry the Malaysian hajj pilgrims. I don't think Al Wafeer's entry will have any impact on the ongoing contract, but maybe when a new tender is issues out in a couple of years time, unless the Saudi authorities want to play dirty by requiring a % of pilgrims must be ferried by Al Wafeer by default (can they do that, without having to face any legal action from the other effected parties?)
  
• Will a situation where only SV and Al Wafeer have exclusive rights to ferry hajj pilgrims eventually being imposed by the Saudi authorities? Is this what Capt Nik fears the most?
  

By the way, Al Wafeer is recruiting pilots, cabin crews and management staff at the moment. So to my dear aspiring fellow MalaysianWings members who are up for a new challenge in the aviation industry in the 'mysterious' Saudi Arabia, you know what to do. Who knows, you may end up being my gossip buddy here LOL.

 

[Pieter C. 5]

Saudi's 'Pilgrim Air' Plans IPO In 2-3 Years

 

October 11, 2009

 

Saudi Arabia's first airline for pilgrims Alwafeer Air plans to hold an initial public offering within the next three years, its CEO said.

 

"We intend to have an IPO, God willing, in two to three year," chief executive Adnan Dabbagh said on Saturday.

 

The Jeddah-based airline, the kingdom's fourth after state-owned Saudi Arabian Airlines and low budget carriers Nas Air and Sama, obtained an operating license on October 4 and is expected to start flying during the haj season in November.

 

The carrier has leased three Boeing 747 aircraft from Malaysia Airlines for the next six years and may expand its fleet to eight planes in the next three years.

 

The fleet expansion would depend on the market in 2010, Dabbagh said.

 

Alwafeer plans to transport pilgrims from Muslim countries to Saudi Arabia, home to Islam's holiest sites in Mecca and Madina.

 

"We expect to carry about 50,000 haj pilgrims this year," said Dabbagh, who added that their current fleet is capable of transporting up to 250,000 pilgrims.

 

More than two million pilgrims flock to Saudi Arabia for the annual haj pilgrimage.

 

Around 1.5 million of them come to Saudi Arabia by plane, Dabbagh said, while the rest come by car or by boat.

 

Alwafeer is owned by Saudi companies including the Bin Laden Group and the Naghi Group.

 

For 2010 the new airline is planning to transport passengers from countries including Pakistan, India, Egypt, Turkey, Libya, Algeria, Morocco, even Germany and France, which have large Muslim populations.

 

"Truthfully, all Islamic countries and all countries in the world where Muslims exist are in our radar scope," Dabbagh said.

 

(Reuters)

 

Capt. Nik may rest assured: no mention of Malaysia...

[Nik H. 3]

Sharp MAR, very sharp, correct general direction, almost there, but not quite.

We must have some Teh Tarik sometime........

 

A number of experiences professionally makes me ponder;

"God help me from my friends, From my enemies i know what to expect"

[Mohd Azizul Ramli 2]

Capt. Nik may rest assured: no mention of Malaysia.

 

For 2010 the new airline is planning to transport passengers from countries including Pakistan, India, Egypt, Turkey, Libya, Algeria, Morocco, even Germany and France, which have large Muslim populations.

 

"Truthfully, all Islamic countries and all countries in the world where Muslims exist are in our radar scope," Dabbagh said.

Err Pieter, I think Malaysia is mentioned indirectly in the last sentence. From my personal observation, Saudis are generally greedy. So they won't spare any chance for their competitors.

 

 

Sharp MAR, very sharp, correct general direction, almost there, but not quite.

We must have some Teh Tarik sometime........

 

A number of experiences professionally makes me ponder;

"God help me from my friends, From my enemies i know what to expect"

Anytime you are in town Capt Nik, TT (or equivalent) is on me.

[Mohd Azizul Ramli 2]

More Al Wafeer.

 

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