The unified GCC Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is a very positive sign, as it brings all regulators and other stakeholders in the region under one umbrella, according to a top IATA official.
The Gulf Civil Aviation Authority will be headquartered in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and its objectives include the Gulf strategy and integration, international presence, sustainability, economic efficiency, sector development, and advancement, and international confidence in Gulf competencies.GCC countries host around 23 international airports and operate 17 national airlines, six of which are ranked among the top 50 airlines worldwide for 2024.
The number of passengers carried by GCC airlines reached around 68 million in 2023.
Speaking to the Observer, the IATA Director-General Willie Walsh, said, "This is the reason why the Middle East has been so successful in growing its position on the global market in the way it has, with nearly 10 percent of the global market.
"That didn't happen because of one airline. It happened because of a combination of airlines, airports, governments, and regulators facilitating the growth story."
As I understand, the new entity may not have any authority over the GCC states, but rather the GCC states adopt whatever comes out of this entity. It may take 3 to 5 years for full implementation," according to Kamil al Awadhi, Regional Vice President Africa & Middle East at IATA.
He added, "The Unified GCC Authority is going to impact the airlines at some point in a positive way, as it can reduce the number of oversight requirements and can accept each other's certification. The regulations will also be the same.
On the soon-to-be-launched GCC unified visa, which will be launched next year, he said, "It's going to open the door for more travellers and create opportunities for airlines to capitalise on tourism. We will have one country issuing a visa for another country, which will see an increase in domestic travel within the GCC. It is mainly for foreigners and residents who can travel easily because GCC nationals have no travel restrictions within the region."
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