U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Transportation Affairs Heidi Gómez and Saudi Executive Vice President of Air Transport and International Cooperation Ali bin Mohammed Rajab signed on October 22 a record of discussions finalizing negotiations on a Protocol of Amendment to further expand the U.S.-Saudi Arabia Air Transport Agreement of 2013. The signing took place during the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Air Services Negotiation Event (ICAN2024) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Once signed and entered into force, the Amendment will add seventh-freedom traffic rights for all-cargo operations to the bilateral Air Transport Agreement.
These additional rights in the Amendment will facilitate the movement of goods throughout the world by providing air carriers greater flexibility to meet their cargo and express delivery customers’ needs more efficiently. Specifically, the Amendment will allow U.S. airlines to carry cargo between Saudi Arabia and third countries without needing to stop in the United States, an important right for cargo hub operations. Carriers of Saudi Arabia will have the same rights to serve the United States. The Amendment will further expand our strong economic and commercial partnership.
For further information, please contact the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs Press Office at EB-Press-Inquiry@state.gov for press inquiries. Information on U.S. international aviation policy and our air transport agreements is available on the Department of State’s website: https://www.state.gov/civil-air-transport-agreements/.
