MRO-ME: Saudia calls for 'more appropriate' MRO services

In a keynote address to kick off the sixth edition of the  two-day MRO Middle East conference, Abdulrahman Altayeb (pictured right), VP Maintenance, Saudi Arabian Airlines, asked GCC countries to join together to demand higher levels of maintenance specifically aimed at dealing with the region's harsh, dusty conditions.
“We must join forces to put pressure on MROs, aircraft and engine manufacturers to offer real improvement in dealing with our environment,” he told delegates at the annual industry conference held at the Dubai World Trade Centre.
With 70 per cent of its business coming from domestic flights; Altayeb said 30 to 40 per cent of Saudia Airlines' delays were caused by maintenance issues caused by the harsh environment.
“Saudi Arabia is a vast country, and we have a great deal of pressure from our public to provide an excellent service. The best way of travelling across country is by air, yet we face a daily struggle to maintain our engines. We are not seeing any movement towards addressing the harsh environment, and get Band-Aid fixes rather than fixing the root causes.”
Saudia Airlines carried 25 million passengers in 2013, with its current fleet of 114 jets, 15 private jets and the Royal fleet.
“Every airline wants three simple things from MRO: lower cost, higher quality and quicker turn around time. MRO suppliers must adopt a continuous improvement approach to help airlines survive,” he suggested.
The two day conference and workshop, under the theme “Adapting to Changing Requirements to Ensure a More Profitable Future”, brings leading industry experts together to explore and share best practices to develop fleets, improve ROI and reduce costs.
According to the co-organisers Aviation Week who partner the show with Dubai-based F&E Aerospace, the global MRO market grew by 7% in 2013, and is thought to be a sector worth $3.7billion this year.