Saudi Arabian Airlines appoints new chairman in management shake-up

Saudi Arabia appointed a new chairman of Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) by royal decree on Monday in a management shake-up.

Ghassan bin Abdulrahman al-Shabal was appointed chairman of the board of directors of the state-owned airline, said Saudi state news agency SPA.

Shabal will replace Sulaiman al-Hamdan, according to the airline’s website.

SPA said representatives of the finance, economy and civil service ministries and the Public Investment Fund would be made members of the airline’s board.

Saudi Arabia’s air travel industry has benefited from strong population growth and rising incomes since the government announced plans in 2012 to liberalize the domestic aviation market in 2012.

At present the state-owned carrier’s only domestic competitor is budget carrier Flynas.