Flyadeal joins IATA

flyadeal, Saudi Arabia’s youngest and region’s fastest growing low-cost carrier, has joined IATA, the airline industry’s leading trade association. Membership of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which represents an illustrious list of over 320 global passenger and cargo air service providers, followed a comprehensive process by flyadeal to secure IATA’s Operational Safety Audit (IOSA), the industry’s highest safety accreditation.

Steven Greenway, flyadeal Chief Executive Officer, said: “It’s an extreme honour for flyadeal to be welcomed into an industry institute that IATA is. The International Air Transport Association is steeped in history representing the interests of members with a single collective voice.

“As we’ve grown in stature, building our operations since our inception in 2017 to a considerable size that is continuing to develop at pace with operational safety our priority, it was inevitable IATA membership was a must-join body. We now sit alongside our full-service sister airline Saudia which has been an established IATA member for decades. As Saudia and IATA celebrate their 80th anniversaries this year, it is also a moment of pride for flyadeal to be part of the trade association in such a milestone year.”

Kamil Alawadhi, IATA Regional Vice President Africa and Middle East, said: “We are delighted to welcome flyadeal as the newest member of the IATA family. As a low-cost carrier, their inclusion highlights the importance of flyadeal’s contribution in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s rapid aviation growth and reinforces IATA’s role in representing airlines of all business models.

“Saudi Arabia has made remarkable progress in developing a world-class aviation sector, and flydeal’s membership reflects the country’s commitment to expanding connectivity and fostering sustainable industry growth. We commend the government’s vision for the sector, and IATA remains dedicated to working with all stakeholders in Saudi Arabia to support its ambitious aviation strategy ensuring a thriving industry that benefits travellers, businesses, and the broader economy.”

Celebrating the official membership, flyadeal CEO Steven Greenway and his management team hosted an IATA delegation led by Kamil Alawadhi, Regional Vice President Africa and Middle East, for a cake-cutting ceremony and new partner workshop at the airline’s headquarters in Jeddah.

IATA works to support and advance the aviation industry by developing global standards, advocating for policies that promote safe, efficient, and sustainable air travel, and providing essential services such as training, financial systems, and operational guidance. Through collaboration with governments, industry stakeholders, and international organisations, IATA helps shape the future of aviation, ensuring that it remains a vital driver of global connectivity and economic growth.

As a member, flyadeal is able to participate in a variety of IATA working groups relating to safety, flight and ground operations, sustainability and digital transformation, all of which the entire industry is collectively embracing. With flyadeal stepping up engagement with the travel trade, IATA membership will also enable quicker and more efficient agency payment processing through the association’s Billing Settlement Plan (BSP).

In November 2024, flyadeal cleared IATA’s Operational Safety Audit (IOSA), a stringent appraisal that covers an airline’s operational safety ensuring compliance to the toughest of rules and practices governing aviation protocols. These include aircraft engineering, maintenance, flight operations, inflight cabin services, ground handling, cargo and security.